Roses and Royal Celebrations in June at RHS Garden Wisley
HS Garden Wisley, in Surrey, is the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society and the 240 acres of expertly designed gardens hold some of the largest plant collections in the world. Yet, Wisley is far more than just a collection of plants. There is year-round gardening inspiration and summer at Wisley is a colourful time. A succession of high summer floral colour is not to be missed. The roses, England’s national flower, with royal associations, will be blooming in June.
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Wisley is home to different styles of rose garden. As you explore from the garden entrance the first encountered is the much-loved traditional Jubilee Rose Garden. This garden was designed for the Golden Jubilee of the Society’s Patron HM The Queen in 2002. Its focus is on roses that are new to cultivation, including examples of the many types of roses. The Jubilee Rose Garden is secluded with high hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) hedges. These capture the scent and protect the roses from the elements. Whereas an abundance of colour greets you as you approach the bottom of the Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden (sponsored by Witan Investment Trust). Late afternoons bring a heady scent rolling down the hill,
tempting you to walk up to the Bowes- Lyon Pavilion.
The Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden creates a real summer spectacle with more than 4,000 roses interplanted with 5,000 herbaceous plants. This arrangement is designed to be a showcase of the full range of rose types available to modern gardeners. Whether you prefer true old roses, English Roses and floribunda, or species roses which are rarely seen in a garden setting, this garden boasts over 150 cultivars. If you’re new to appreciating this enduring summer favourite, there’s no better place to encounter them in all sizes, shapes and colours.
The colour scheme, of hot to cool and back again, creates a real visual impact to complement perfectly the impressive range of scents. Follow the snaking gently ascending path, rather than the terraced shallow steps up the 5m (16 ft) to appreciate the full range of colour. Monday 6 – Sunday 12 June marks a weeklong celebration of The Queen’s 90th birthday in the garden. Bring a picnic on Sunday and join a communal lunch at specially laid out long tables on Seven Acres to the background of live music. See themed displays including strawberries with royal associations and a royal motif
on the green wall in the Glasshouse. The Glasshouse will also hold an exhibition of photographs of The Queen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and facsimiles of Royal Signatures. Wisley volunteers will lead special tours of the Jubilee Rose Garden and the Jubilee Arboretum focusing on their royal connections. In previous years just one late- evening opening in July has offered the opportunity for an evening stroll. However lighter evenings and longer days make the usual 6pm closing seem too early. The best part of the day in the garden for photographs and leisurely strolls is just beginning.
So this year, the Wisley late (7 July) is preceded by a whole month of late evening opening, every Thursday throughout June. The garden will be open until 9pm, with last entry to the garden at 8pm. This gives an ideal opportunity to visit the garden purely for the roses. Take a walk on one of these evenings to get to know the rose gardens, which look their best at this time of year.
Late evening openings and the royal celebrations are free with normal garden admission. Entrance to the garden is free for RHS members.
See
rhs.org.uk/wisley to plan your visit. surrey magazine summer 2016 71
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