What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden May 2025

Geranium pyrenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’

A member of the hedgerow cranesbill family, seen commonly in roadside verges – but what a star! It was named after Mr Bill Wallis, a passionate plantsman, who chanced upon the original seedling sporting electric violet flowers instead of the common pink hue. It is a low sprawling perennial which shows its vivid purple flowers from late Spring until late Autumn. Lovely ground cover for sun or shade. Resistant to drought and avoided by snails – what’s not to like!

Tiarella ‘Spring Symphony’ – Foam Flower

Enjoy a symphony of colour with this extraordinary Tiarella! A charming, shade loving relative of the Heuchera.  In spring, slender stems rise above the leaves and hold a mass of pink and white starry flowers, giving a frothy effect – hence the common name the Foam Flower.

This variety has an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS and it copes in the difficult dry shade conditions under the Lime trees in the Old Pond Garden.

Cotoneaster horizontalis – Rockspray Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster horizontalis  is popular for the characteristic herringbone pattern of its stems, which develop into a decorative basketwork across the ground or on a wall, according to how it is trained. We are using them for structure in the Old Pond Garden as they have a presence in all seasons. Though small, the neat pink flowers are a magnet for bees and the bright red berries are eaten by birds. They have wonderful autumn colour too, so a good all-rounder in the garden.

Other things to see

You might also spot the amazing purple irises in the front beds, and Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ popping up all over the Old Pond Garden beds.