Hidcote is one of the April appointments in my calendar meanwhile. I don't visit the garden any more as newly discovered chance, but try to find answers to ideas and questions. This is the time when less people visit the garden in the morning hours and I can see what has changed. We noticed that the Gunnera plants were not there. Maybe they took them out after they are now officially banned from being sold. This time, I took the tele lens to find wildlife and the plants they sit on.
Great photos @simone_in_wiltshire, especially of the butterflies — and Hidcote looks lovely! I’ve never been myself. Didn’t know about the ban of gunnera; I’ve always admired it in the large gardens I visited.
@Athelas I didn’t have time to look what both butterflies are but the yellow white attacked the white one. I was surprised because I thought that moment they are different. Yes, it was in the news recently and mentioned in the GW forum with a link that Gunneras are now banned.
The butterflies are both Orange Tips, male and female. So that might not have been "attacking"! I have bought comfrey seed for my garden this year, having seen how many bees it is attracting on one of my local walks.
Thanks @Escarpment. I also think more and more about having just everything wild with all the struggle to get the other plants grown and survived. My garden is small and such change need to be thoroughly thought through.
Nice pictures. Didn't know Gunnera was banned. I saw some at local garden centre a couple of weeks ago.
Lovely pictures It seems odd if they removed the gunnera because of the restrictions but kept the skunk cabbage which I believe has been restricted for quite a few years now. I think the gunnera ban is complicated because as far as I'm aware, it doesn't apply to gunnera manicata which was the original species imported in the early 1900's (that's not as hardy or problematic) but for years hybrids and the hardier gunnera tinctoria have been sold as manicata. It's apparently very very rare to actually get manicata and it's likely most of those being sold now are still species/hybrids on the banned list.
It is forbidden to sell Gunnera tinctoria. Here is an article about it, but I got a bit confused. Gunnera ban and what it means for gardeners - Gardens Illustrated I've been to Hidcote, I think 3 times. My brother and sister in law used to live near there.
Lovely @simone_in_wiltshire . I'll be travelling through the Cotswolds later in April so maybe I'll book myself a visiting slot.
Yes, @Plantminded , what difference sunshine can make if I take pictures in a dabbled shade garden. When we came at 10:15, there were just 5 other cars. The car park and overflow were full when we left at 1. As I always say to OH, the town were I live has got only 5 pensioners, the town where those live is always overcrowded
