Nature Features

Daffodils have always been a familiar site at Coughton Court and the anniversary inspired Mrs Clare McLaren-Throckmorton to commission a new garden.

The Daffodil Garden, which includes several unusual varieties of the flower, has been designed by Mrs McLaren-Throckmorton’s daughter, Christina Williams, with the help of Ian Tyler, garden designer and General Secretary of The Daffodil Society.

Mrs McLaren-Throckmorton said: "Coughton Court’s gardens represent seventeen years of work by my daughter, Christina, and our team of gardeners here. The Daffodil Garden, dedicated entirely to the varieties created by my relative, Tom Throckmorton, is a fitting way to celebrate 600 years of the family’s residence at Coughton."

The garden, which is by the river, is made up of 2,000 bulbs and 20 different varieties of the Throckmorton daffodils - including Cherry Bounce, Johnnie Walker, Class Act and Tom Jones.

These rare daffodils were developed by the late Dr Tom Throckmorton, who bought them over to Coughton Court from America in 2005.

Opening of the Daffodil Garden: Simon Hadley

The Daffodil Garden was officially opened by Mrs Clare McLaren-Throckmorton and her grandson, Magnus Birch (as shown in the above photo) - who is the son of the garden's designer, Christina Williams.

On Sunday, 26 April 2009, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire's Wincey Willis spoke with Christina Williams about the garden. You can listen again to the interview by clicking on the link below: