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Although renowned for its snowdrop walks and Humphry Repton landscaped gardens, Rode Hall also is a feast for the eyes throughout April and May when its bluebells and spring flowers are at their best.  Rare Rhododendrons, Azaleas and the Chilean Fire Bush are a blaze of colour under planted with Primula Japonica and Lily-of-the-Valley.  All this is seen against a background of bluebells shimmering in the grass and in the Old Wood adjoining the wild flower garden is really quite stunning. 

Rode’s ‘bluebell walk’ is easily accessible to all and a pleasant 40-minute stroll that takes in some exquisite views and presents the ideal opportunity to enjoy the milder climate and hopefully some seasonal sunshine.

Along with snowdrops, bluebells are one of the UK’s best-loved flowers.  A resplendent carpet of beautiful bluebells is indeed a sight to behold and in Cheshire we are lucky to have any number of fantastic gardens that feature the flowers.  Rode Hall’s display perhaps is ideal for families or those a little unsure underfoot as the terrain is, in the main, very easy to negotiate. 

Photographers will also love the peace and tranquillity that transcends the garden – enabling them to capture springtime at its most lovely.

Said Sir Richard Baker Wilbraham, owner of Rode Hall & Gardens, “The bluebells are at their best at the end of April/beginning of May and we shall be opening specially on Sunday 25 April as well as Saturday 1 May (Farmers Market) in addition to our regular opening days of Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and Bank Holidays.  All the woods around Rode are covered in bluebells but we confine our walk to what is known as the Old Wood which is where visitors were able to see the snowdrops but for the bluebells they are able to wander much more extensively as bluebells cover most of the ground in that wood."

Look out for the native bluebells Scilla Nutans (which for the uninitiated can be detected by the fact that they flower on one side of the stalk only).  They can also turn up a white or pinkish flowered too.

Those interested in furthering the understanding and protection of native bluebells may be interested to note that the Natural History Museum are conducting a survey to help ‘spot’ different types of bluebells.  Experts will use this data to build a map of where different types of bluebell are flowering. Walkers are encouraged to enter their findings into a Natural History Museum online survey when they get home.

For details of the Natural History Museum led campaign and online survey www.nhm.ac.uk/bluebells.

Bluebell Walk Opening Times 2010

Sunday 25^th April 2010 12.00pm to 5.00pm
(light lunches available)

Saturday 1^st May 2010
(Rode Hall Farmers Market takes place between 10.00am to 1.00pm that day too)

Garden Open

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Bank Holidays
2.00pm to 5.00pm

Admission

Adults: £4.00
Senior Citizens and Children over 16: £3.00
RHS/HHA Members Free