Walking trail: iris-garden

The Iris garden was re-designed in winter 2005 and was completed in April 2006 and is now beginning to mature into a popular area of the Gardens. New plants have been introduced to provide year round colour and interest. Look out for a selection of herbs in the central quadrants which are filled with Irises, mixed with Kniphofia and Alliums.

Stop in between the olive tree and bench, look to the right to view the following three trees from this path. The first is a small tree planted for the Lady Mayoress in 2007. The handkerchief tree, Davidia involucrata . Native to China, this deciduous tree has distinctive flowers, which hang like handkerchiefs and open in May. The leaves are bright, light green and are fragrant when they first unfold.

Behind this tree, to the right, there is a small Sycamore Japanese maple, Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Brilliantissimum’. A slow-growing deciduous spreading tree with lobed leaves which are salmon pink when young, then turn yellow and finally dark green in summer

Next to the Acer on the left, is a very large evergreen oak, Quercus x hispanica ‘Crispa’. The glossy dark green foliage appears dense due to the abundance of leaves. The acorns fall in October and after a good summer there is usually a heavy crop.