Stars of the show

Wallabies have become the stars of the show this week as the international media turned its attention to the benefits of owning one of these cuddly marsupials, It becomes clear particularly in spring and summer – they make great lawnmowers as well as pets.

Sir Edmund Loder, my great great grandfather knew this when he first brought them to Britain in the eraly 1900s and they’ve remained firm favourites with our family ever since. Not to mention visitors and the German TV crew who were here mid-week filing a report on them.

We are lucky enough to own one of the largest herds in Britain – numbering no less than 50 - with one or two albinos thrown in for good measure. The joeys are peeping through now too – a great photo opportunity.

Their steadfast work keeping the paddocks close-cropped saves our gardeners a mountain of work and they boost our green credentials.

Catch the colour while it's hot

I'm waking up earlier in the morning these days as the sun rises sooner and sooner. It seems that everything is blooming in leaps and bounds.

My paranoia about all the flowers coming out too earlier has a little grounding, but now we are into May and the gardens has blossomed into a staggering array of stunning colours, I feel that all is well.

The odd shower here and there has helped the amazing swarm of buds on the plants and given the blooms more fuel to keep them going.

The wafts of yellow azaleas that crowd the valley are just starting to spread along the lakesides and are also making a showing at the entrance by our signature `lollypop tree`.

Loderi blooms are Heaven scent

Leonardslee is world famous for its spectacular blooms and our Loderi rhododendron variety probably takes pride of place in the gardens.

The Loderi seedlings planted by my great great grandfather Sir Edmund back in 1901 have matured into stunning trees now many feet tall and have just erupted into a fragrant blast of colour for the 102nd time.

They are without doubt some of the finest and most impressive blooms of rhododendrons in the world, with King George and Sir Edmund Hooker some of our prize specimens.

Strolling round the Loderi garden this morning, we couldn’t help but be knocked out by the grandeur of the flowers.

We knew they were going to be impressive this year because of the sheer numbers of buds around the garden, but weren’t ready for the incredible vision that’s unfolded.

Ambling past the terraces, I noticed the flat-topped cherry is in full flower – it looks so romantic. This is an unusual cherry tree with a canopy that spreads across the path. Supported by wooden stakes, it makes a beautiful site, offering visitors shelter from the April sun.

The magnolias have been a joy this season – better than I can remember. As spring marches on, the drifts of daffodils are giving way to a green carpet of bluebell shoots – the flower heads ready to line the paths underneath the Rhody shrubs (Rhododendron Loderi is a firm favourite of mine, some of these will be coming out around the beginning of May)

Camellias have done well this year the old Cambelii by the mansion showing a bounty of flowers, now leaving the stage to let the stellatas and others continue creating lavish displays.

Already in bloom are early flowering rhodies but the real rush is only just starting, with the Rock Garden poised for its annual colour symphony in early May.

Our wallabies have prospered too, with healthy numbers of joeys born last month, now venturing out of their mother’s pouch into the warmer air.