So much to see

There is so much to see in the garden.  The bluebells are carpeting the glades, the Rhododendrons are flowering and the azaleas will soon be with us.

These are just two Rhododendrons which stand out at present.  Rhododendron augustinii is a beautiful chinese species discovered in china by Augustine Henry in 1899.  High Beeches has a particularly good blue form.

Rhododendron augustinii

To contrast a Rhododendron cinnabarinum
hybrid.  Rhododendron cinnabarinum was introduced from the Himalayas by Sir Joseph Hooker in 1849, sadly it is prone to powdery mildew but this unnamed hybrid is slightly more resistant than the species.

Rhododendron cinnabarinium hybrid

The Loderi Rhododendrons are already coming into flower as are the Davidia and the Crinodendrons.  The ground is covered in many wild flowers amongst the bluebells and the young foliage on the trees gives a vibrant background to it all.