Greetings to the Maple Nuts in the UK, I'll be visiting some of my husband's relatives in Surrey for a few days in early July and wondered which gardens you recommend in terms of seeing Japanese maples. A couple possibilities are Savill Garden and Wisley. I visited Wisley many years ago before my obsession with maples and Savill Garden two years ago in late March when it was bitterly cold. I've put in a request to see Westonbirt Arboretum, but that may be too far for my husband's aunt. Any suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks, Jane
Sheffield Park has quite a few and is my favourite for it's natural look.Quite large too though don't go expecting a range of different known cultivars.Also the Bluebell steam railway runs there if you're interested,makes a good day out.
I'd second Sheffield Park as it won't be far. Westonbirt is worth the trip if you can make it and Wisley won't disappoint. Whilst at Seffield park you also have Nymans very close by
Ron, Houzi, and Jaybee, Thanks very much for all your suggestions. I'll let you know what happens. In any case, we'll be in the Netherlands later in July to visit more of my husband's relatives, so I'm planning a trip to Esveld. The sad part of that visit, of course, is that I won't be able to buy anything to take with me back to the States. The good part is that I won't be forced to make a decision.
I don't know the Surrey area and surrounding places too well, so have no suggestions close to where you are staying. If Westonbirt is too far for a day trip, you could always stay somewhere overnight and then visit the Batsford Arboretum on the way back!
Many thanks to all of you who made suggestions. As it turned out, I had absolutely no say in which gardens we visited. The day we arrived was the hottest July day on record—94° F. or more. We visited Wakehurst Place and Chartwell, both of which were lovely. Wakehurst had quite a number of Japanese maples, many of them the Acer palmatum species, but there was a stunning Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' specimen. I have no complaints, though, since we will spend a day at Esveld when we're in the Netherlands next week visiting my husband's immediate family. Samara
What a stunning tree! It's the most beautiful shirasawanum I've ever seen, it looks like a niwaki or bonsai with the harmonious display of the branches.I really must go there one day, it's closer from where I live than travelling from NJ ;°) Thanks for posting Samara, hope you're having a nice trip.
