Annual plant timeline
As with all plants, the National Collections at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens have specific seasons of interest. Sometimes even within a collection, different species may fruit, flower and produce leaves at different times of year.
When planting a garden for year-round interest, it’s important to consider placement and positioning of plants. Our National Plant Collections are curated to make the most of their more distinctive features and plants from a single collection can be found dispersed throughout the site.
Timelines for our Collections
Carpinus (hornbeam)
Flower and fruit: April, May, June, July, August, September
Cercidiphyllum (katsura)
Leaves and aroma: March, April
Autumn colour and aroma: September, October, November
Cornus (dogwood)
Coloured stems: December, January, February
Flowering: April, May, June, July
Corylus (hazel)
Yellow catkins: December, January, February
Green leaves: March, April, May, June, July
Yellow leaves and nuts: August, September, October, November
Cotoneaster
Flowering: March, April, May, June, July
Fruiting: August, September, October
Hamamelis (witch hazel)
Flowering: December, January, February
Leaf colour: September, October, November
Hypericum (St John's Wort)
Flowering: May, June, July, August, September, October
Ligustrum (privet)
Flowering: March, April, May
Fruiting: September, October, November
Lithocarpus (stone oak)
Flowering: September, October, November
Metasequoia (dawn redwood)
Best time to be seen: May June, July, August, September, October
Photinia
Flowering: April, May, June, July
Fruiting: August, September, October, November
Pinus (pine)
Pine trees are evergreen.
Young cones: March, April
Quercus (oak)
Flowering: March, April, May June
Fruiting (acorns): September, October November