Warwick Square in winter

I've been Head Gardener at Warwick Square for over a decade and endeavour to make it an all season garden with something of interest and colour in every month.  On the last New Year's Day there were twelve different types of flowers and shrubs in bloom.  The scents of summer never quite match those of winter and I grew the dracunculus vulgaris just for fun in contrast to the usual welcoming scents of the rest of the year.

On the northern side of the garden there is a iochroma australis (Blue Angel's Trumpet) which I bought about twelve years ago as a small cutting in a paper cup from the Chelsea Physic Garden. I think we are one of a handful of gardens in London with such a fine specimen.  I am always worried whether the winter has killed it as it seems to stay as bare branches for so long and then to full on flowers in a couple of weeks.  The cornflower blue bells cover the tree in time for Open Squares Day until mid to late July then intermittently until end of September.   

One of my favourite trees in the Square is the small, rare lomatia ferruginea, which originates from Chile and is a form of Protea.  It has wonderfully soft ferny leaves and it is flowering for the first time in eight years.  The flowers are pea-like yellow and red and held on short racemes so difficult to see amongst the other planting.

The begonia luxurians or palm leaf begonia that over wintered well and seems to becoming well established.  Next year it should start looking fantastic.  We are also trying some cane begonias In the same bed to the right of the bamboo is the shadiest part of the garden where we have also improved the soil and concentrated on planting unusual ferns and other plants that will thrive in these conditions.  

Under the magnolia the podophyllum peltatum "spotty dotty" is in flower.  These are about three years old and seem very happy. This North America native is relatively new to the UK and is a fascinating plant with homeopathic uses ranging from curing certain warts and in medicines used for ADHD and pregnancy complications.  

A halesia has flowered surprisingly early this year and the seed pods give you some indication of how many wonderful flowers it produced.

I was given a magnificent cattle trough that forms part of the children's planting area.  It has some promising sunflowers (Giraffe) growing in it.  The children planted rainbow chard, carrots, beetroot, poppies and other flowers.  

Hollyhocks are allowed to grow anywhere as they have been part of the square for such a long time they have squatters' rights.