Looks like they've been adding some turf around the entrance. Bland, but at least it looks a lot cleaner than last years mud/chippings
On my one and only visit last year, one of the gardeners said the landscaping would be done "properly" in house over the closed season.
Lovely bloke, met him in the excellent sunken garden (take note Towers) by Stealth, by stealth (it was actually closed).
He found the mess of landscaping rather upsetting, considering the other excellent planting around the park.