Spring has sprung in Saltram garden

A family enjoying a walk amongst the daffodils at Saltram, Devon

With milder than average temperatures this winter the garden is alive with early blooms this springtime. In 2020 the Valentine’s Day Flower Count tallied 176 different species of blooms in Saltram’s garden. With so much to see we thought we’d put together a little guide to the spring garden so you don’t miss a thing.

Saltram in springtime video Play Video

Wild garlic on Middle Glade

As part of a garden-wide restoration project the Garden Team have been working hard in the Middle Glade borders. The Victorian shrub collection has been thinned out removing overgrown hollies and bay trees creating much more light and space.

It becomes rather fragrant along middle glade and Lime Avenue as wild garlic is out in abundance and we bet it'll be it's smell that you notice before you see it. Work will continue along Middle Glade and you’ll start to see more planting taking place over the coming months.

A sea of bluebells in the garden at Saltram
A sea of bluebells in the garden at Saltram
A sea of bluebells in the garden at Saltram
" The work my team is doing in the garden at the moment is really about getting back to basics and it'll be exciting to see the results as new planting establishes and blooms later in the spring and summer."
- Martin Stott, Head Gardener at Saltram

Camelias 

We’re lucky enough to host a near year-round display at Saltram. We’ve got more varieties starting to bloom into late March so take a stroll to North Path for the best display this time of year.

The Orangery

Our working 19th century orangery houses our citrus trees through the winter has undergone some serious restoration work and it’s looking better than ever. Views to and from this beautiful garden building are complimented by benches so you can make the most them.

Look out for the citrus trees being returned to the Orange Grove and front of the orangery later in May.

Daffodils set in front of the Orangery at Saltram
Daffodils set in front of the Orangery at Saltram
Daffodils set in front of the Orangery at Saltram

Daffodils 

Who doesn’t love this jolly little spring flower? All the recent rain has made our garden very green so finding swathes of bright yellow carpets along Lime Avenue is a true treat. You’ll find it impossible not to smile at this flower’s sunny disposition.

Stableyard Bed 

This area has recently been cleared and boasts views of the historic stable building from inside the garden and from across the park. By the end of March you’ll be able to enjoy camellias, hellebores and ferns complimenting the once hidden gem.

The stables bed in spring
The stables bed looking full of tulips in bloom
The stables bed in spring

Magnolias 

The warmer weather has certainly coaxed these flowers to bloom earlier than expected this season but you can still find some specimens dotted around, resisting the warm weather and waiting to join in the cacophony of springtime colour.

You can still find the magnolias waiting to bloom
Close up of a pink magnolia in bloom in Saltram Garden, Devon.
You can still find the magnolias waiting to bloom

The Long Border 

This herbaceous border was originally designed by Graham Stewart Thomas and has recently been lifted and replanted for the first time in nineteen years. 

The border will come to life as the tulips open in late April and peak in mid-summer with a classic, English herbaceous display of blues and whites contrasting the hot, exotic colours of the Orange Grove.