May Garden Notes by Kenneth Carlisle

Early May is a most exciting time in the garden. The tulips and late spring bulbs are in full swing, and everything still has that early freshness. I am always startled by the brilliance of Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’, or Pearlbush, a vision of white as all the best brides should be. It never fails. This is a time too when the Ceanothus displays its blue flowers, showing well against the terracotta of the house, the true colour of ‘Suffolk Pink’.

But my real favourite at this time is the apple blossom, so gentle and generous. Apples thrive at Wyken and you can grow them in so many ways. The photograph below a ‘step-over’ apple, trained as a low hedge in the Cottage Garden. Then we have the espaliered apples round the kitchen garden and in the forecourt. In the old orchard next to the house we let the apple trees grow tall and they display there flowers unconstrained. Later in the year, of course, you can enjoy the varied colour and taste of the fruit.