Spring
March and EARLY April
In the early part of the season, snowdrops and daffodils abound. Camellias have become a speciality, and all round the garden visitors can see a surprising number and range of these shrubs with their exquisite flowers. Magnolias vary with the season, but there are always some out. The unusual big-leafed rhododendrons also flower now.
April and Early May
The middle part of the season is dominated by rhododendrons. These are everywhere, big and in all shades of colour. They form a stunning visual feast on a scale that is breath-taking: some are forty feet high and tower overhead. The beech trees spring into fresh green leaf and under them the bluebells provide their delicate carpet.
May and EARLY June
This is the time for azaleas. These are smaller than rhododendrons, but their colours are dazzling. Reflected in the ponds, they glow with the full brightness of early summer. By now the wild flowers, particularly the primulas along the stream banks, are also a sight to see. The davidias (handkerchief or ghost trees) are loaded with their characteristic white bracts, and many people make return visits just to see these.
Autumn
The great variety of trees and shrubs at Lukesland also makes it stunning in October and November. The shelterbelts of beeches, planted by the Victorians to protect the garden, turn a glorious gold, while more exotic species such as acers, azaleas, gingko and katsura reflect their fiery red sand oranges in the pools of the Addicombe Brook.
