Westonbirt is blooming this spring
Friday, 3rd April 2009
Spring is in the air, and Westonbirt Arboretum is blooming. This Forestry Commission tree garden is famous for its autumn colour, but spring seems to be one of its best-kept and most glorious secrets - and throughout April and May, come along on a 'Westonbirt Wednesday' and get 50% off all admissions.
In April, as the season gets into full swing, Westonbirt's A-list celebrities make an appearance. Rhododendrons, many over 100 years old and great natural treasures, tower overhead in dizzy clouds of colour. As the month progresses, both richly coloured rhododendrons and heavenly scented azaleas abound, and in a quiet glade in Silk Wood, Japanese and Chinese flowering cherry trees are cloaked in pale pink blossom. Here in the woods, wild flowers such as wood anemones, primroses and celandines appear, then give way to hazy carpets of bluebells - a sure sign of a well-managed ancient oak woodland.
'Spring watch' goes live on the Westonbirt website from early April, with weekly updates on the best spots for spring blooms around the arboretum - from magnificent flowering shrubs in the old arboretum to wild flowers in Silk Wood.
Simon Toomer, Curator at Westonbirt Arboretum, said: "Spring at Westonbirt is a real joy. When the Holford family first planted the arboretum back in Victorian times they indulged their passion for beautiful, big acid-loving flowers. The right soil and tender care is the secret of their success - now to be shared by thousands."
Westonbirt Arboretum is managed by the Forestry Commission. It is open all year round - from 9am-5pm. During spring and summer, admission to the whole arboretum is £7 for adults (£6 concessions), £2 for children (18yrs and under).
Find out more about Westonbirt Arboretum including events and activities throughout spring and summer.
