Winkworth Arboretum in May

Winkworth Arboretum is a wonderful find. Maintained by the National Trust, the hillside arboretum has 1,000 different shrubs and trees with many of them rare. The red, orange and yellow hues displayed in Autumn are incredible, so much so we made two visits to take full advantage! In February we were greeted with daffodils, snowdrops and sunshine too.

Having not visited Winkworth Arboretum in Spring before, a return visit was necessary to see the magnolias, bluebells and azaleas. This is the sight that greeted me when I arrived – bluebells as far as the eye could see.

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That wasn’t the last of them though, beautiful bluebell displays were everywhere – in some cases lining each side of the pathway.

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If that wasn’t magical enough, heading towards the Azalea Steps I turned a corner only to be greeted by a huge rhododendron. It was so immense it stopped me me in tracks and caused me to saw “oh wow” out loud. This towering ball of white must have been five times the size of me, I’ve never seen anything like it.

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Little did I know what was around the corner.

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The Azalea Steps are something else. An inferno of colour all the way down to the Boat House and Rowe’s Flash Lake. It was a breathtaking sight.

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As well as capturing the azaleas en masse, it was great to get up close too. There was so much to discover

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like these moss covered branches.

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The smell was wonderful too.

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Even at the bottom of the Azalea Steps you couldn’t help but turn back and have another peek.

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The Boat House looked as inviting as it always does.

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Inside you can read its history, see old books

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and a few of the flowers I’d seen were there as well.

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The view from the Boat House was as beautiful as it always is

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and there was no shortage of blooms nearby.

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The walk back took me across the Badgers Bowl and up to the viewing platform. The reward being wonderful views across the Surrey countryside.

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It’s the first time I’ve visited Winkworth Arboretum in Spring – it really was spectacular.

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Thank you to everyone that nominated PODcast in the BiB awards. I’m thrilled to be shortlisted in photography. You can vote to get your faves into the final here.

Linking up with Mammasaurus for #HDYGG.

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  • OneDad3Girls May 8, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    The colour really invites you in. It seems so peaceful and welcoming.

  • Claudia May 8, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    Charly, i think you live in fairyland. seriously. there are so many beautiful gardens by you. how very lucky!! beautiful pictures.

  • Carrie - Time to be an Adult May 8, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    What beautiful photographs…the colours of those azaleas is stunning x

  • Stephanie May 8, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    Wow – what a beautiful place, and great pictures too. Winkworth is definitely going on my “to visit” list!

  • Helen Sims The good life mum May 8, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    i love your photography and these picture look like they should be in house and gardens magazine

  • Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) May 8, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    Everything is so colorful and alive! Never saw life as vivid as these! #HDYGG

  • charmaine May 8, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    beautiful photos… and the bluebells are stunning! I think Winkworth was the first NT place we visited… I think it was late Autumn and it was so, so cold… I think another visit should be planned! x

  • Mammasaurus May 8, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Just mega Charly! Those Azalea Steps just blew me away – and prodded me to make sure I try and get to my local gardens and their Azalea Walk next week.
    Those flowers in the jars, the boathouse, the moss covered trees – all just grand.And May hols coming up too….. *wink wink nudge nudge hint hint*

    Thank you for joining in again 🙂 x

  • Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One May 8, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    Those azaleas are simply stunning, somewhere else to add to our NT places to visit list. We went to Polesden Lacey on Sunday, saw so many bluebells there too #HDYGG

  • Kat May 8, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    We are national trust members and after seeing these stunning images we’ll be heading here at some point this summer. Superbly captured!

  • Gemma May 8, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    Your bluebell carpet photos are taking me back to my yurt holiday last year – I stayed in a yurt surrounded by woodland full of them. I’ve never seen anything like the Azalea Steps before, beautiful!

  • emma May 8, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    Gosh, I SO want to visit Winkworth again now –
    I wonder if those bluebells and Azaleas will still be out next weekend?
    Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.
    Emma 🙂

  • Jenny May 8, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    WOW Charly what an absolutely stunning place to visit. I don’t know england well where is this? I have been dying and serachig for a field of bluebells that everyone is talking about and yet I haven’t been able to find any anywhere! Boo. What a stunning place to be. Looks like the sun was out for you too. Gorgeous day out.Those azaleas are amazing I just planted some in my new back yard. Can’t wait for them to bloom. #HDYGG

  • Sara (@mumturnedmom) May 9, 2014 at 4:57 am

    Look at those bluebells, just beautiful x I can almost smell all the flowers looking at these photos. Gorgeous x

  • older mum in a muddle May 9, 2014 at 10:40 am

    Beautiful as ever. Such pretty colour at this time of year! X

  • Annie May 9, 2014 at 1:03 pm

    You do visit some lovely places! I love the boat house and the view from it too.

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