March 2023
What's looking good this month?
This month, above all others, sees Trebah at its most magnificent. The giant Rhododendron arboreum from the Himalayas are burgeoning with buds and flowers. Many of these giant tree Rhododendron have been growing in the garden for over 130 years and can be best viewed from the top of the garden on Lawn Path.
Rhododendron macabeanum has huge trusses of pale-yellow flowers, Rhododendron ‘Glory of Penjerrick’ bred by the head gardener at nearby Penjerrick Garden has deep strawberry red blooms and our very own cultivar Rhododendron ‘Trebah Gem’ on the banks above Davidia Walk has soft pink flowers.
The Magnolias also play a significant role in the glory of the garden in spring. On Badger’s Walk you will find the Japanese Magnolia kobus with lightly fragranced flowers with narrow white petals. On Beach Path, Magnolia doltsopa ‘Silver Cloud’ an evergreen variety which literally has masses of large creamy-white blossoms. Another to look out for is Magnolia campbellii ssp. mollicomata. Numerous specimens were planted in the upper part of the garden in 1992 and are distinguished by their pale pink flowers.
On Petry’s Path, underneath the Coast Redwoods, two Japanese beauties are flowering: Stachyurus praecox, prized for its unique pendent races of flower buds, resembling string of pearls and Corylopsis spicata, a member of the witch hazel family with clusters of bell-shaped scented yellow flowers.
In the Chilean Coomb, Berberis darwinii, a South American native, has distinctive bright orange flowers. This was discovered and named after Charles Darwin on his voyage of the Beagle in 1835. On the other side of the garden on Radiata Path, Berberis kawakamii, from Taiwan, has rich yellow flowers.
Trebah’s collection of Camellias can be found along Camellia Walk, Badger’s Walk and Petry’s Path. We have over 70 different types and their blooms range from deep red to white.