Emmetts Garden
Interesting hillside garden with year-round features
Coronavirus update
From end of Tuesday 24 March, we closed all our car parks to further restrict the spread of coronavirus. This followed the decision to close our parks and gardens in addition to our houses, shops and cafes. We urge people to stay local and observe social distancing. Please do not travel.
Virtual spring tour
Spring colour at Emmetts Garden
Join us at Emmetts Garden from the comfort of your own home! As Emmetts Garden is now closed to all of our visitors, we wanted to keep sharing with you the wonders of spring as it emerges around us with a virtual tour of some of the season's highlights. Keep an eye on our social media as well - where we'd love to see any photos of your own gardens, window boxes or nature you spot on a walk too.
Daffodils
The daffodils come bright and cherry each year to Emmetts Garden with their sunny yellow heads sure to brighten up even the rainiest spring day. The daffodils grow all throughout the gardens from the meadow to the woodland, lining pathways and trailing off into the grass, sitting merrily amongst the azaleas and bluebells.
Tulips
In a spectacle of gorgeous bright colour, our tulip meadow is a spectacle of spring with up to 7,000 bulbs planted every year. The tulips sit out underneath the cherry blossom trees in a stunning display of red, pink and black.
Cherry blossom
The lollipop shaped cherry trees blossom every spring over a sea of tulips, with approximately 48 standing tall in front of the wildflower meadow. Wild cherry also grows down at the bottom of the South Garden, ready to bear fruit in the summer.
The Handkerchief Tree
According to local legend the handkerchief or dove tree is said to be the most romantic tree in China, an association which dates back to the Han dynasty. It is named for the drooping white bracts that come out late spring which give the appearance of hanging handkerchiefs or the fluttering of dove wings.
Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)
The crown imperials at Emmetts Garden are a firm favourite across volunteer and staff teams, as well as with our visitors. Their bright colours ensure they stand out from the crowd and merge wonderfully with the later bluebells to create a display of spring colour.
The Rock Garden
The rock garden truly is a garden for all seasons, but spring has to be when it really shines. Tulip species cover a large area of it, with other smaller blooms creating delightful colour contrasts. The tulip ‘batalinii bright gem’ mixed with lithospermum diffusum looks particularly distinctive. Another firm favourite is the pasque flower. It shows off warm purple and pink colours whilst looking very delicate to the touch. Combined with the yellow dog's tooth violet, it makes a striking show.
The Wedding Cake Tree
This unusual tree gets its name from how the branches grow in horizontal tiers, resembling the structure of a wedding cake. Originally from Japan and Korea, the white star-shaped flowers that bloom in May and June set this tree apart from the other rare species in the garden. This tree provides year round interest though, with the foliage turning to vibrant shades of red and purple in the autumn.
