See the changing seasons in our garden
The garden in Winter
With frosty mornings and a windswept moorland backdrop, the views of Lyme from the garden terrace are dramatic and ever changing during the colder months. Meanwhile, the Orangery is a year-round indoor oasis of tropical planting. Throughout winter, the gardening team will be hard at work with path repairs and other conservation works. The Orangery will be closed Monday 6-Friday 10 January while we carry out repairs to the roof.
In January and February, keep an eye out for the first winter iris and snowdrops starting to peek through.
Spring
In the spring, the garden team will be embarking on a big project renovate the herbaceous border. This will restore the border back to the design created by Graham Stuart Thomas for the garden in the 1960s, not long after Lyme came into the National Trust’s care. Graham Stuart Thomas was an advisor to the National Trust for many years and his influence can be seen in gardens across the country.
You may also see some strange machinery around the stream in Killtime as our team start clearing out the silt traps. The waterways at Lyme are fed by water coming off the moors which is often thick with silt, and could fill up our lakes and ponds with thick mud if not removed!
Our Nursery plot will also hold its first open day in March. These continue monthly until October, and give visitors the opportunity to see where we grow plants and produce for the garden, house, café and tea rooms. There will also be plants grown in the nursery for sale at these events.
Lyme is the second highest garden in the National Trust, so spring bulbs often flower later than other properties. April is a great time for a stroll through the formal beds, as well as the rhododendron walk where a multi-coloured wave of blooms will be starting to appear.
Summer
In summer the garden is at its brightest, with flowering plants throughout. There will be some new additions in the rose garden - several beds of roses have been removed to improve the soil, and other summery blooms will be taking their place for 2020, while we add lots of compost and manure to build up the earthworm and soil microorganism population.
In May and June, look out for a wave of blues and purples across the lake - this is from 5000 Camassia esculenta bulbs which were planted in the autumn.
The perennials planted in the Italian garden will be in full flower. This area was made inaccessible to the public after the floods in July 2019 severely damaged the paths, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back into this area.
Autumn
The trees in Lyme's gardens really come into their own once autumn sets in. The Vicary Gibbs area contains several exotic trees brought to Lyme by famed horticulturist Vicary Gibbs in the early 1900s. Look out for fiery reds from the cornus kousa, or dogwood tree, as well as the flowering cherry. Close to the Italian garden, the leaves of the spindle trees will start to turn a distinctive shade of pink as the season progresses
Dogs in the Garden
Dogs on leads are currently welcome in the garden every day. Why not bring them along with you on your next visit?
