This spring, a new design is unfolding at The Newt.
In a nod to Hadspen’s horticultural past – in particular the legacy of Nori and Sandra Pope – we’ve developed a ‘Symphony of Colour’, a seasonal planting scheme inspired by the garden they created during their time here.
I was lucky enough to meet Sandra Pope when she visited The Newt in 2025, an encounter which directly sparked this project. For the Popes, colour was never incidental. They likened it to a musical theme, layering impact through repetition, contrast and crescendo. Deep tones hum like low notes; lighter hues lift and brighten, carrying the eye through a garden in a purposeful rhythm.
This year, we’ve taken their approach and evolved it, seeing colour play out across the ornamental gardens, from the Victorian Beds to the Scented and Colour Gardens.
Colour theory inspired the planting
Seasonal Highlights
My colleague Joe led the project, choosing plants that will deliver a full spectrum of colour as the seasons progress.
In April, tulips steal the show, in particular the deep, jewel tones of Tulipa ‘Ronaldo’ underplanted with the soft pinks of Saxifraga ‘So Saxy Rose Pink’. By May, just in time for the Great Garden Show, the delicate, dart-like flowers of Dodecatheon Meadia will arrive in the Cascade Gardens in shades of pinky-mauve. Then come June, Papaver Rhoeas (the common poppy) will bring drifts of scarlet to the Red Garden.
“As a classically trained musician and piano tutor, I feel inspired by Nori and Sandra Popes' garden. They used music to inform their border design. Just as a music symphony develops an idea using rhythm, harmony and dynamics; their plantings had repetition and thoughtful colour combinations to create a beautiful symphony of colour.”
– Joe Dransfield, Senior Ornamental Gardener
The Darling Buds of May…and Beyond
During the Great Garden Show the gardens will reach a crescendo, but the display will continue to unfold through the summer and into October. For a deeper glimpse into the story behind the scheme, visit our Symphony of Colour display in the Threshing Barn, where you can pick up a pamphlet with our full planting list and map. Or, join a garden tour and see the narrative come to life.
I hope you’ll enjoy this display as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it, and find some colour inspiration to take home to your own gardens.
See you soon,
Harry Baldwin
Head Gardener at The Newt in Somerset
