4th May: Exbury Wisteria

Having had my own “Hanami” at Exbury Gardens my next quest was to see the Wisteria in the Sundial Garden in flower.  I had no idea when wisteria do flower but I’d seen one growing in Summer Lane coming into bloom which seemed a clue!  Trouble is, so are the azaleas and early rhododendrons.  When I arrived for the gardens to open at 10am there was already a queue at the ticket office.  However with some brisk walking I managed to get ahead of the visitors to take some photos and to sit for a short while alone under the hanging sprays of flowers.

Ironically, the wisteria in the plant sales area was more advanced than that in the Gardens!  Elsewhere Exbury is becoming that obscene riot of colour which attracts hoards of visitors;  I prefer the Gardens once the rhododendron season is past and one can wander through them alone, at least at the start of the day.  Have to admit though that the view from Mrs Lionel’s Seat is rather impressive at the moment.  Back at Lepe it is the end of the bluebell flowering in the Conservation Area, altogether more peaceful and restrained!