China and the Himalayas;
China, Taiwan, Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim
Howick Hall Arboretum
A united nations of trees & shrubs
Howick Hall Arboretum opened on 1st April 2006, with a formal opening by Roy Lancaster on 29th April. Covering about 65 acres the Howick Hall Arboretum has almost virtually been grown from seed collected in the wild since 1985. consequently there are about 11,000 trees and shrubs from about 1,800 taxa planted in six geographical groups:-
It is divided into two sections, the West Arboretum, which is the smaller and adjacent to the gardens, and The East Arboretum, which is much larger and not suitable for wheelchairs, being too hilly. Some of the West Arboretum is better for wheelchairs but only for energetic pushers. Which is due to the fact that most of the smaller paths are mown grass and can get sticky in wet weather.
The East Arboretum has three recommended routes. A short, medium and long walk, each marked by coloured arrows. Furthermore you will be issued a FREE leaflet which contains maps of both the West and East Arboretums. Both have numbered marker posts linked to the maps to help you find your way around, which we think are less intrusive than lots of signposts.
Plant Identification
About two thirds of the plants have labels, which show the botanic name and family, the common name (if there is one), the collection number, the province and country where it was collected (not the full geographic range), with a full explanation in the well illustrated brochure, and, for our own purposes, the accession and internal map reference numbers. We intend to add more labels once plants are identified.
Seed Collecting Expeditions
Most of our seed collecting expeditions have been made in conjunction with Quarryhill Botanical Garden in California. Furthermore many of those expeditions to China and Japan have been led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh. Where relevant, all have been hosted by an authorised institution in the country concerned, and collections are made conforming to CBD and CITES. In addition we have a full computerised database which is available online at howickarboretum.org. Seedlings are exchanged with botanic gardens, arboreta, and gardens open to the public in the UK, while seed is exchanged with many international botanic gardens throughout the world.
Howick Hall Arboretum holds one of the largest collections of wild origin plants in the U.K., but it is of course young. Part of the fun will be watching it grow and develop over the years, giving an increasingly diverse habitat to all forms of wildlife. We are one of the last remaining outposts of the red squirrel in England and you may well see some on your visit.
Come and see it! It will give you an unrivalled opportunity in the North East to see the flora of different countries, with a strong emphasis on China and Japan.
Walks Around Howick Hall Arboretum
Woodland Walks
The Woodland Walks cover the west arboretum, Silver Wood and the main gardens around the house.
Long Walk
For the energetic, the Long Walk, which follows Howick Burn all the way down to the sea for about 1½ miles.
Snowdrop Walks
Visit our stunning Snowdrop Festival, held during February when the Gardens re-open after the Winter break.
Map of the East Arboretum
Move your mouse over map to zoom in
The Head Gardeners Note Book
May in the Garden
The daffodils are going over as the month goes on; the tulips are in their prime, as are the fritillaries in the meadows. By the end, the camassias are emerging. The rhododendrons are at their best in the first half, with the azaleas and pieris in the second. The blue Himalayan poppies (meconopsis) are out with the primulas, and heucheras, and many others.
The borders are growing, but not in flower, and their gaps are filled during the month with plants from the nursery. The Bog Garden is growing with a few early plants coming into flower. The very striking rheum alexandrae is sending up its tall spikes with pale cream bracts. All the mountain ash, cherries and crab apples are in flower. Many plants will be in leaf in the arboretum, with others still emerging. The young cones on the conifers will appear, some a brilliant deep blue.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
June in the Garden
All the bulbs will be over in the long grass, but the wild flowers will be showing well in the meadows. The big alliums in the Clock Border will have taken over from the tulips, and the early border plants there will be in flower. Silverwood will be going over, although the meconopsis napaulensis (the tall other Himalayan poppy) will be coming out. There will be much new leaf growth on the rhododendrons which is very decorative.
The terrace border and rockery will be showing well. The giant catmint will be out below
the top terrace. The Bog Garden will be growing rapidly; the early primulas and the irises will be flowering as well as many other plants. Many of the Chinese deutzias will be in flower in the arboretum, as will other shrubs. Most plants will be in full leaf.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
July in the Garden
By the middle of the month we will be cutting all the long grass after the wild flowers have set their seed for the following year. In Silverwood, the clethra delavayi will be a striking sight in the second half. The Clock Border will be in full swing and the roses will be out. The lavender hedge on the bottom terrace will be flowering and the terrace borders will be in their prime, as will the rockery, particularly the roscoea. The Bog Garden will be in full blast; all the pale yellow primulas, the pale mauve astilbe, rodgersias, f ilipendula, cobra lilies (arisaema) will be out, with many others. All the Chinese philadelphus and roses in the arboretum will be flowering.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
August in the Garden
In Silverwood, the hydrangeas and eucryphias will be in flower, and also auratum lilies. The Clock Border will have romneya, sidalceas, physostegias, nepeta, and dahlias in flower. The other borders will still be colourful and the agapanthus all along the top terrace will be out. The cyclamen will be starting to flower in the rockery and elsewhere.
In the Bog Garden, the ligularias, astilbes, loosestrife, tiger lilies, Japanese anemones, salvias, lobelias will all be out. In the west arboretum all the hydrangeas will be in flower. Some of the maples will be setting seed.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
September in the Garden
Still lots to see, but quietening down for the autumn. All the cyclamen and colchicums will be out. Berries will be forming and starting to colour; watch all the sorbus,cotoneaster, berberis and rose hips in the arboretum. Towards the end of the month, the autumn colours are starting, particularly the yellow leaved ones.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
Autumn in the Garden
It’s autumn colour all over the garden and arboretum; the reds seem to depend more on good summers. All the berries are ripe on lots of shrubs and the birds take some quicker than others.
The birches are yellow, the cercidiphyllums are rose, the maples are red, the beeches are orange, and the vines are plum.
The Head Gardeners Note Book
February in the Garden
Snowdrops start to appear in their thousands all over the garden and arboretum and can last into March. Everything else is still asleep.
March in the Garden
In early March the Snowdrops are dying out. Crocuses start and last towards the end of the month. They are planted in the garden surrounding the Hall.
In the middle of the month the first daffodils may be showing; in the woodland garden,
scillas, hellebores and the earliest dogtooth violets maybe showing.
By the end of the month all the early daffodils will be up. The early rhododendrons will be flowering in Silverwood and sometimes the two huge magnolia campbellii have come into flower. Many of the woodland herbaceous plants will be showing but not yet in flower
The Head Gardeners Note Book
April in the Garden
All the daffodils will be out throughout the garden and the West Arboretum; they are all over the place, more white forms than yellow. The first tulips will appear in the long grass in late April. The lily tulips in the Clock Border will be in flower in mid to late April.
Lots of rhododendrons, camellias, and magnolias will be out in Silverwood, as will all the dogtooth violets, lungworts, hellebores, primroses, euphorbias and many other herbaceous plants.
The Bog Garden, borders and rockery will still be quiet although many plants will be showing. In the second half, buds on many of the trees and shrubs in the arboretum will be breaking, some of which are fascinating. Early on, the Japanese alders will have their catkins. The cherries and crab apples are coming into flower near the end of the month.
The Head Gardeners Note Book