Walk with me through the woodland landscapes at RHS Wisley – a fragrant, colourful tour for these unexpectedly mild days …

Exochorda macrantha The Bride

The double herbaceous borders – slumbering

Cynara cardunculus

Hamamelis Orange Peel

Across the Rose Garden

Hamamelis Orange Peel

H. Orange Peel

H. Orange Peel

H. Orange Peel

Hellebores

Daphne bholua Peter Smithers

Camellia japonica Twilight

Acer griseum

Prunus himalaica

Hamamelis Wisley Supreme

Wisley Supreme

Wisley Supreme

Rhododedrum Nobleanum Venustum

Rhododendrum Nobleanum Venustum

Rhododedron Nobleanum Venustum

Hamamelis x intermedia Harry

Harry

Daphne blolua Limpsfield

Camellia pittardii var yunnanica

Camellia pittardii var yunnanica

Daphne mezereum f alba Bowles Variety

Harry

Rhododedrom dauricum Hokkaido

Daphne bholua Peter Smithers

Peter Smithers

Peter Smithers

Peter Smithers

Camellia x williamsii Golden Spangles

Camellia Golden Spangles

Lonicera standishii

Daphne bholua Alba

Daphne bholia Alba

Chimonathus praecox

Chimonathus praecox

Chimonathus praecox

Chimonathus praecox

Pinus montezumae Sheffield Park

Pinus montezumae Sheffield Park

Hamamelis x intermedia Pallida

H. Pallida

H. Pallida

Camellia x williamsii JC Williams

Camellia JC Williams

Camellia JC Williams

Camellia Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Rhododendron yakushimanum x griersonianum

Camellia leaf

Hellebore

Woodland path on Battleston Hill

Camellia japonica Josephine Hearne

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Show Girl

Betula jacquemontii var utilis

unnamed rose hips

Giant Redwood

Rhododendron Kirin

Rhododendron nobleanum album

Rhododendron nobleanum album

Leptospermum mytifolium Silver Sheen

Hamamelis x intermedia Harlow Carr

Harlow Carr

Harlow Carr

Harlow Carr

Battleston Hill

Camellia

Skimmia japonica Highgrove ….

Osmanthus heterphyllus Aureaomarginatus

Osmanthus heterophyllus Aureomarginatus

Osmanthus heterophyllus Aureomarginatus

Rhododendrum lanatum x R yakushimanum

R lanatum x R yakushimanum

Snowdrops

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Cyclamen coum

Chimonathus praecox

Hamamelis vernalis purple seedling No. 1 Brotzman

Brotzman

Hamamelis Wisley Supreme

Rhododendron dauricum mid-winter

Rhododendron dauricum Mid-Winter

Mid-Winter

Up into Battleston Hill

Looking down the double borders

A very early Pulmonaria

Pulmonaria

Corylopsis spicata

Hellebore argutifolia

Griselina

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Overdam

Koelreuteria paniculata

Up to the Fruit Mount

Down the Piet Oudolf Borders to the Glasshouse

Willow

The Apple Orchards

Malus x robusta Red Siberian

Apple Orchards

Pyrus pashia

Pyrus pashia

Pyrus pashia

Pyrus pashia

Pyrus pashia

The Glasshouse Borders

The Piet Oudolf Borders

Stately decay …

Telekia speciosa

Camellia Gloire de Nantes

Hydrangea quercifolia Flemigea

Viburnum x bodnantense Charles Lamont

Hamamalis mollis Coombe Wood

Coombe Wood

Coombe Wood

Hamamelis Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Orange Peel

Camellia Cornish Snow

Camellia Cornish Snow

Camellia japonica Noblissima

Noblissima

Noblissima

Noblissima

Hamamelis Hiltingbury

Hamamelis Seedling 982

Camellia JC WIlliams

Euonymus grandiflorus

Hamamelis x intermedia Jelena

Jelena

Jelena

Wisley Supreme

Wisley Supreme

Taiwania cryptomyroides

Lonicera standishii Budapest

… Bear and salmon

Primula palinura

Primula palinura

The Lily Pond

The King and Queen (Henry Moore)

I had the time to visit the gardens at RHS Wisley on Wednesday this week, the sunniest of days and quiet too (everybody else was at the work, or the supermarket, or on the M25… )

The colour and fragrance on offer was unexpectedly generous, with Camellias and Rhododendrons, Witch Hazel, Chimonathus and Edgworthia, Hellebores and Snowdrops, Crab Apples and wild Pears, Winter Honeysuckle, decorative bark and even the decaying seed- and flower heads placed just so as to catch the low afternoon sun …  and much much more –

If the weather is against you, or culinary exertions have exhausted you – or culinary extravagances have undone you – please accept my best wishes for this festive season and take a stroll with me through this gallery of photographs, a pictorial guide to the woodland landscapes at RHS Wisley, through Battleston Hill, passing the orchards and Glasshouse borders and down through 7-acre wood.