Little Ponton Hall - the Aconite Sea

Little Ponton Hall is about an hour's journey from where I live and whilst I had heard of it, I had never visited previously.  It is not open very often but it does open for snowdrop and aconite days.

The Hall is a pretty eighteenth century house.  It is beautifully situated with the River Witham running through the grounds.  When you first arrive you do get immediate hints that they may have a snowdrop or two.

Firstly though we had to visit the immaculate walled garden to look at the plant sales.  They had some very good plants for sale which meant choices had to be made.

We were stopped in our tracks by the sight of this mistletoe growing at eye level on the fruit trees in the walled garden.  It was just such a wonderful sight, everyone who noticed it stood and admired it for a moment.

Once plants were purchased we wandered into the grounds proper to see the snowdrop sights.

Quickly you realised there is more to Little Ponton than snowdrops.  There are many snowdrops, it is a good snowdrop garden, but.....

....the swathes of aconites are a sight to see.

Seas of yellow where-ever you look, absolutely seas of them,

I do mean there are lots, that yellowish tinge under the trees is aconites.

If you think you are snowdropped-out and fear you have snowdrop fatigue, then go to Little Ponton and be carried away on an ocean of yellow.

It is a very beautiful place, the river running through it seems to give the snowdrops and aconites a good location to show off.

and the mature grounds host some wonderful trees like this cedar, which has apparently taken some lightening damage but still is something to be seen.

The nearby church of St Guthlac is also worth a visit whether you are a christian or not.  If for nothing else there is the beauty of the aconite lined path.

You look out from the path and you can see that the snowdrops and aconites have escaped into the fields.

It is the most colourful setting, with the mossy walls trying in vain to hold back the marauding snowdrops and aconites.

The church is fascinating with its decorated walls,

and 1000 year old horse heads by the roof.

and of course around the head stones the snow drops make themselves known.

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning there and made a note to return again.  It is a definite gem of a garden.

Did I mention I bought some plants?  Well of course there were snowdrops, it is rude not to buy snowdrops.  This little pot made me very happy as it contained some single and double snowdrops.  I have made sure they have been planted where I will know that they are the Ponton snowdrops.

I did not buy any aconites, my garden eats aconites so it was pointless to even think about it.

I did buy this small pot of Scilla misctschenkoana,

these are now sitting on the front door step adding a bit of brightness.

and finally......

this rather wonderful Cornus officianalis.  This was bargain plant of the year and was such a lovely specimen that I could not leave it behind.

It is now planted in the driveway adding a bit of much needed colour.   A good bit of plant buying I thought as aid memoire of a nice day.

The full snowdrop odyssey can be found here: http://www.blackberrygarden.co.uk/2015/03/the-snowdrop-odyssey-ends-at-home.html