Alnwick Gardens

The cascade at Alnwick Gardens from the top looking down to the new Visitor Centre.

Last Wednesday, we travelled South to visit relatives in Cambridgeshire, and on the way we stopped off at the Alnwick Gardens. We had been before, but in the Summer when the gardens were very busy. This time they were very quiet, and it was good to get uninterrupted views of the Cascade.

Looking up the cascade to the arches at the top.

Hellebores and Snowdrops.

At this time of year, there isn't an awful lot in flower in the gardens, but there was a great show of hellebores, and spring bulbs - still some snowdrops, and bright patches of crocus and the miniature blue iris.

Hellebores

Miniature irises (Iris reticulata)

Hellebore

Hellebores produce welcome flowers in the winter, and I particularly like this dark-petaled one.. I bought this one as a small plant some years ago, and for some time it never flowered, however, in the last couple of years it has started to produce these beautiful blooms. Although they are so lovely, all parts of the plant are extremely poisonous. All hellebores contain glycosides that are fatal to man and animals. Nowadays poisoning occurs mainly in cattle and other livestock, which have access to the green parts in severe winters.