It is that time of year when the roses are starting to come out in the Rose Garden. The display usually lasts about three weeks so do make sure you come and enjoy the scent and the blossoms. Francis Gibson (1805-1858) was the main creator of Bridge End Garden, but it was his father Atkinson Francis Gibson (1763-1829), who started the initial work and particularly the Rose Garden: this fits with the historic development of English rose gardens. Roses were grown in ancient Chinese gardens and...

The laburnum is out! Yes, now is the time to visit Bridge End Garden and walk along the laburnum walk in the Wilderness. The longest and, what is believed to be, the oldest laburnum walk is at a National Trust property in North Wales, Bodnant Garden. It is 55m long and was planted by Henry Pochin in 1880 with help from his designer, Edward Milner. Ours is on a smaller scale but it is 25m long and is still a welcome spring experience that is worth a visit!

In the area to the north of Castle Street path, next to Borough Meadow the Garden Team and the Friends have been trying to make more of a Flower Meadow by cutting and raking off the area in late June, with the same again in September. Seeds have been scattered and very slowly new species are beginning to appear. Now daffodils have appeared! The daffodils in the Garden are mostly Narcissus 'Tenby' but as the aim is to give the Flower Meadow its own character, it was decided use a different...