AFTER STORM EOWYN

We’ve been working hard, clearing up the amazing mess of branches, trunks and foliage after the storm on 24 January. We were lucky really as Benmore, only 8 miles west as the crow flies has lost hundreds of trees- we only lost 9 with their collateral damage. The worst damage was to the British champion Magnolia rostrata ( unlikely to remain the champion!) stripped of several branches by our neighbour’s spruce, also damaging several rhododendrons. A huge tree-sized trunk of Eucryphia Nymansay crashed into the glen, bringing with it branch off our biggest beech. You can see the before and after photos to see how much we have already cleared. There’s still a massive oak trunk at our gate, fallen from our neighbours across and blocking Glenarn Road for a few days until the Council team arrived.

But spring is definitely on its way! Rhododendron Bric -a-brac is in flower in the Rock Garden and there are snowdrops and snowflakes everywhere. The hamamelis are starting to go over while the camellias and daphnes look good and scent the garden.

We are working towards our opening on March 21 and hope to see many of you here early in the season. We also intend to build a small group of volunteers to work with our trainees and ourselves over 2025.