Not far from Central London is the Royal Richmond Park, a place of open countryside, with roaming deer and parakeets, ancient pathways trodden by many crisscrossing the hills and valleys, through bracket, open grassland and copse of old trees.

An area of the Royal Park of Richmond Park waits to be discovered, a fenced-off garden, full of trees, plants, shrubs, colour, clearings, streams and ponds.

Originally fenced off in the 1700's to grow trees, this area was transformed in the 1950's by George Thomson and the head gardener at the time, Wally Miller. They cleared areas of plants to be replaced by rhododendrons and azaleas and other exotic shrubs and trees. Over the years since, streams and ponds have been added, including heathers, camellias and magnolias to name just a few.

So much bird life can be found within this secret garden, Isabella Plantation.

In April and May, Isabella Plantation is so full of colour, and I have tried to capture it on a short video (click to view).

I hope if you watch the video it will inspire you too, to make a visit.

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