Batsford by Month

January

Spring is heralded at Batsford by the first of the early daffodils now showing along Carriage Drive and around the Japanese rest house. Bright yellow aconites can also be found in patches among the trees.

February

The arboretum begins to come to life with the delicate snowdrops crowding the roots of old oak trees and clinging to the grassy banks of the stream. Clouds of white blooms made colourful by a scattering of bright yellow winter aconites and mauve crocus decorate the winter glades.

March

This is a glorious month in the arboretum. As the snowdrops begin to fade, the daffodils take their place in a blaze of sunshine yellow. Thousands and thousands of flowers cascade down the hillsides in torrents of gold.

April

This is the time when our blossom trees come into their own. The arboretum is filled with clouds of pink in every shade you can think of. Our Japanese cherry trees are the stars of the show displaying blossoms that range from apple white through pure white to fuchsia pink and every shade in between.

May

The first thing you might notice when visiting the arboretum in May is the pungent smell of garlic wafting on the breeze emanating from the carpet of Wild Garlic laid in swathes among the trees.

June

This is a wonderful month for the wild flowers of the arboretum. As a wild garden we encourage as many wild flowers as possible to grow and thrive. Clouds of tiny blue Forget-me-nots mingle with sunny yellow buttercups. Tall spikes of mauve and white foxgloves nod and sway in the breeze and blue Bugles point to the sky.

July

This is the time to admire the sumptuous shades of summer foliage, from translucent lime green and vibrant emerald through to smoky blue. Greens of every hue abound.

August

Rest a while in leafy glades where shade encounters sunlight. Marvel at the natural grace of the giants of the garden such as the Wellingtonias, Weeping Beech and Cathedral Lime under which many a wedding ceremony has taken place.

September

This is a time when the arboretum is filled with scents and aromas. The rosy scent of the Clerodenrum mingles with the most unusual aroma of burnt sugar emanating from the Katsura tree.

October

A glorious time of year for Batsford as autumn takes hold. The colours of the changing leaves are a delight. The full force of colour arrives around the middle of the month.

November

Autumn colour continues to grace the arboretum.

December

The arboretum can look amazing on a clear frosty morning with the dark branches of the trees sparkling with ice in the winter sun, against a pure blue sky. If the weather has been kind you may see snowdrops and aconites begin to appear and even and early daffodil or two.

Boxing Day - 26th December
The arboretum will be open from 10am on Boxing Day for you to walk off your Christmas Lunch. The cafe will serve you with a free glass of mulled wine to fortify you before you set off and will be serving soup and hot drinks for you to warm yourself afterwards.