Spring is in full bloom at Goldstone Hall, bringing a vibrant energy to our Shropshire hotel gardens. While Wordsworth may have waxed lyrical about daffodils, his poetry doesn’t quite capture the dynamism and vitality of a garden bursting into life. At Goldstone Hall, daffodils are a key feature of our springtime display, creating generous drifts of golden hues in front of the hotel and beneath the majestic cherry trees on the main lawn.

A Symphony of Spring Bulbs

For those seeking inspiration for their own gardens, shorter varieties like ‘Tete a Tete’ thrive at the front of borders or in short-growing turf, while taller, later-flowering cultivars such as ‘Thalia’ and ‘Actea’ add elegance where grass is left to grow longer. Beneath the cherry trees, grape hyacinths (Muscari) are unfurling their blue clusters, complementing the Scilla and Cyclamen coum found among the roses and in the herb garden.

A Busy Month for Goldstone’s Gardeners

April is a crucial time for our gardening team at Goldstone Hall Hotel. The winter-spread manure has now broken down, enriching the soil for the season ahead. Sarah has been busy preparing the ground, ensuring a fine tilth before sowing parsnips, beetroot, and radish, with successive plantings planned to provide fresh produce throughout the months to come.

Meanwhile, onions, tomatoes, and brassicas are thriving and ready for transplanting, while rhubarb is sending up its vibrant red stems. In the polytunnel, peppery mustards and corn salad continue to be harvested, though some plants are now flowering. Our Head Chef, Maggie, has requested we leave some blooms, as she loves incorporating them into her exquisite dishes.

Edible Blooms & Garden Garnishes

Spring at Goldstone Hall’s award-winning hotel and restaurant also means the arrival of cheerful primroses (Primula vulgaris), which Ying has been gathering to adorn her signature desserts and sweet treats. The use of fresh, homegrown ingredients from our one-acre kitchen garden is central to the Goldstone ethos—a true farm-to-table experience that makes our Shropshire restaurant stand out.

Perfecting the Garden’s Presentation

For those with a keen eye for detail, you may have noticed the freshly sharpened lawn edges around the garden, meticulously maintained with a half-moon edging iron. This seemingly small task makes a significant difference in keeping the gardens looking polished and pristine.

Supporting Growth & Maximising Blooms

Along the herbaceous borders, perennials are producing lush rosettes of foliage. Before they grow too tall, we support them using pea sticks, string, and upturned hanging baskets, ensuring they stay upright and maintain their structure. Towards the end of May, we’ll also employ the famous ‘Chelsea Chop’, a technique that helps delay flowering and prolong the garden’s seasonal impact.

Now is also the perfect time to prune colourful dogwoods (Cornus spp.) like ‘Midwinter Fire’ and ‘Flaviramea.’ Their vibrant stems not only add seasonal interest but also serve a practical purpose—providing natural supports for our growing peonies.

Perfecting the Garden’s Presentation

For those with a keen eye for detail, you may have noticed the freshly sharpened lawn edges around the garden, meticulously maintained with a half-moon edging iron. This seemingly small task makes a significant difference in keeping the gardens looking polished and pristine.

Supporting Growth & Maximising Blooms

Along the herbaceous borders, perennials are producing lush rosettes of foliage. Before they grow too tall, we support them using pea sticks, string, and upturned hanging baskets, ensuring they stay upright and maintain their structure. Towards the end of May, we’ll also employ the famous ‘Chelsea Chop’, a technique that helps delay flowering and prolong the garden’s seasonal impact.

Now is also the perfect time to prune colourful dogwoods (Cornus spp.) like ‘Midwinter Fire’ and ‘Flaviramea.’ Their vibrant stems not only add seasonal interest but also serve a practical purpose—providing natural supports for our growing peonies.

Spring is Calling—Come and Enjoy it!

With all this activity, there’s little time for Wordsworthian wandering—though we’ll leave that up to you, perhaps with a refreshing drink in hand? Just like Mole in The Wind in the Willows, we invite you to step outside and embrace the fresh air and renewal of spring.

Best wishes from the Goldstone Garden Team

A Georgian manor house and restaurant with 12 comfortable bedrooms overlooking the rolling tree-strewn hills of the North Shropshire countryside. Boasting 5 acres of award-winning gardens, including a productive one-acre kitchen garden.

Located in the ‘golden garden triangle’ close to Wollerton Old Hall Garden, Hodnet Hall Gardens & Bridgemere Show Garden.

A warm welcome awaits you.

Find out more about the hotel and garden opening times here.