THE PALACE - GARDENS

PLANT LIST

Guide to the planting scheme in the gardens:

IN EARLY SPRING look for flowering Almond trees, fragrant Daphne odora and Daphne mezereon, single and double flowered gorse, red-flowered heath (Erica mediterranea), Camellia, Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles), Magnolia tripetala and Jews Mallow (Kerria japonica). Snowdrops, Primroses, Wild Daffodils and winter Hellebores should be in bloom at the front of shrubberies and Yellow Crocus on the east lawn.

IN MAY look for double pink Hawthorn blossom, Persian, Chinese and common Lilacs (Syringa persica, S. chinensis and S. vulgaris) with Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus), flowering underneath Laburnum trees; mounds of Spanish Broom (Genista hispanica), Purple Broom (Cytisus purpureus), Pink Bridewort (Spirea salicifolia), clumps of Tulips and, at the front of shrubberies, Periwinkle (Vinca minor and major), evergreen Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), yellow Daisies of Leopards Bane (Doronicum orientale), Forget-me-nots and, later in the month, scented yellow day Lilies (Hemerocallis flava) and the double crimson Peony (Paeonia officinalis rubra plena).

IN THE FOLLOWING SUMMER MONTHS look for many varieties of pink and white flowered Rock Rose (Cistus), yellow pea-flowered Common Broom (Spartium junceum), Rosemary, grey-leaved Cotton Lavender, Jasmin (Jasminum humile Revolutum), Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius), yellow-flowered Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa), St John's Wort (Hypericum prolificum and H. androsaemum), Rose-acacia (Robinia hispida) and fifteen varieties of old roses! The herbaceous plants peeping out from among the greenery will include more Peonies, Hollyhocks, Foxgloves, Sweet Williams, blue Larkspurs and Love-in-a-mist (Nigella), scarlet Poppies (Papaver bracteatum), double Daisies, Columbines, Pinks (Dianthus Bat's Double Red and Dianthus Old Salmon Clove), Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) and scarlet Maltese Cross (Lychnis chalcedonica).