FEBRUARY AT CLUNY

We are officially open from the 20th February although you are welcome to visit before this date. It has been a relatively open winter allowing us to do more clearance work compared with the last two winters. We still have one or two rhododendrons to pull up after the heavy wet snow at the beginning of the year. There can be some horrendous weather conditions in February but there can also be some beautiful spring days when the birds are singing loudly and you can almost watch the plants bursting out of the ground. We hope you choose one of those days to perhaps visit!

BULBS

Obviously this is snowdrop and snowflake time. Leucojum vernum, the spring snowflake, is a native of central Europe growing in woods and shady hillsides and it begins flowering when the snow melts. At Cluny, snowflakes are gradually naturalising particularly at the far end of the lawn at No.4, around the second Sequoiadendron giganteum and again near the end of the walk before No 33. They are different from snowdrops in being taller, with glossy strap-like leaves and green tipped bell shaped flowers.

There are several species and varieties of snowdrops within the garden, Galanthus nivalis, being the most common. A favourite is one of the very early species, Galanthus ikariae, with its bright green glossy leaves and green inner petals but there are many different types some with only very subtle differences.

In contrast to the white snowdrops are the bright yellows of Eranthis or winter Aconites which grow naturally in woods and rocky places in Central Europe. The flowers open in sunshine and here they are often the first food the honey bees find after a long winter. Varying shades of pink Cyclamen coum are found throughout the garden. Although they grow in woodlands in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, in Scotland they prefer sun or light shade in a leafy soil. The large stalks of last year’s seed heads of Cardiocrinum giganteum, the Giant Himalayan Lily, can still be seen in last season’s flowering position. They look very much like Venus fly-traps and provide year long interest.

The first miniature daffodils Narcissus minor appear in February. In many ways their delicate nature and the fact that they flower for many weeks perhaps makes them one of the most delightful of daffodils. It looks as if it will be a good year for early flowering crocus. Some Springs, mice and voles manage to have little nibbles on the flowers!

HELLEBORES

Helleborus foetidus the Stinking hellebore or Dungwort, flowers throughout the top of the garden from December to March. It has very finely lobed leaves which smell strongly when crushed and has bell-shaped green flowers with purple margins, sometimes scented. If there is a frost during the time the plants are in flower, they always look very sad, as if someone had put them  in a freezer for many days, but when the temperatures warm up, they recover very quickly. 

 The first Helleborus orientalis or Lenten Rose, also flower in February. They have strong flower stems up to 45cm which hold pendant or almost outward-facing saucer shaped flowers in white or green and often spotted. There are various hybrids within the garden as well as other similar species such as H lividus and H purpurascens all providing a variety of colours for a good number of weeks in early spring. 

TREES & SHRUBS

Cluny’s most famous tree the Giant Sequoia or Sequoiadendron giganteum at No 5 with a girth of 11 metres is not to be missed! There is an information panel at the tree which should answer all your questions about it. Please treat this gentle giant with great care. The barks of deciduous trees stand out during the winter months particularly those of the Tibetan cherry Prunus serrula but also a number of acers and birches especially those encrusted with colourful lichens. Lichen is an epiphyte, a plant that grows upon another plant (such as a tree) non-parasitically and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it. Lichen is believed to be a sign of good air quality.

Some shrubs flower from January onwards including various types of Hamamelis or Witch Hazel with their spidery shaped frost resistant and scented flowers. Viburnum x bodnantense is another worthwhile scented shrub with a flowering season stretching from November through to March.

WILDLIFE

The Red Squirrels have come through the winter well no doubt as a result of being well fed on peanuts, cob nuts and pine nuts. The best places to view the Squirrels are around the car park feeders and also on the feeders at the Sequoiadendron giganteum at No5 but they can easily be seen while going around the garden normally racing up the nearest available tree. 

On good days some of the garden birds burst into song including Great Tits, Coal Tits, Greenfinches and the Wood Pigeons (did they ever stop!). Jays, Great-spotted Woodpeckers and Bullfinches are present each day and a party of eight Long-tailed Tits visit the bird feeders regularly throughout the day.

JOBS

We are generally carrying out the late winter/early spring tidying up of beds and adding a layer of leaf mould where necessary. Paths require tidying up and we still have fresh bark to spread on a number of paths. On cold days cutting back and cutting out of dead branches continues. All the seed has now been sown and soon we will begin the major task of potting.