Trebah Gardens, Cornwall

A wonderful example of what can be done by the determined retiree. 26 acres of ravine garden restored by the Hibbert family after 40 years of neglect, before handing it over to a Trust.

View to the house from the Mallard Pond

Trebah Valley

Gunnera

Day Lily

Looking across the valley

For more pictures, click here

Hidcote Manor Gardens

Situated on the northern edge of the escarpment of the Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire is a magnificent Arts & Crafts garden, created by Major Lawrence Johnston. The position creates considerable climatic problems that have to be overcome, but you would never know it when you see the results.

The house is not open to the public apart from parts of it used for its tea-room and shop. 
Lawrence Johnston was born in Paris and came to England to study at Cambridge. His mother bought Hidcote Manor in 1907 and he started to develop it soon after.

Each room or compartment is themed, and this photograph in October maintains the colours from earlier in the year.

Here we can see the red border in the autumn.

I just love lilies.

For more pictures of the whole garden gathered over a number of visits, click here.

Shugborough Hall

Last weekend, we took a trip to Shugborough Hall in the Trent Valley, Staffordshire. This is another National Trust property, although the estate is wholly financed, administered and maintained by Staffordshire County Council. Our main interest was the house and its gardens, but there is a great deal more to do there in the form of museums, exhibits and working farms, much of which would have appeal for the younger visitor. The house was until recently the home of the late Earl of Lichfield, whose photography was of particular interest to me, and there was a wonderful exhibition of some of his photographs which make me realise I have a long way yet to go!

The original house was built in 1693 but greatly added to during the mid part of the 18th century by the Anson family.

The house sits beside the River Sow some few miles upstream of its joining with the River Trent. It is a very pleasant setting for the house and its gardens, although the formal gardens will require a few weeks yet before the roses are all in bloom, when I am sure they will be magnificent.

Away from the house there are some very fine walks alongside the river which at this time were splendid for their rhododendrons and azaleas. In the grounds are several neo-classical monuments, one of which is "The Shepherd's Monument" which takes its name from the marble relief depicting two lovers listening to an ancient shepherd, and is based on a painting by Nicholas Poussin.
If you look more closely at the base you can see an inscription.
This is said by some to be a "Da Vinci" code as Poussin was thought to be a Grand Master of Knights Templar and the original painting is housed in the Louvre, although the code was actually added by Thomas Anson. The dots after the letters are believed to indicate that these are only the first letters of words and in 2004, Bletchley Park code breakers were invited to try to crack the code. I think they are probably still working on it.

For more information see Shugborough Hall, and for more pictures of my visit see my Shugborough Album .

Packwood House again

We took a trip to Packwood House again last week, mainly to see what was going on the gardens. We were not dissapointed by the plants, but, it being a Bank Holiday, and not wishing to be too snobby, there were one or two less desirables in attendance. One couple, although obviously not unintelligent, were encouraging there beloved offspring to try to jump across the ornamental pool in the sunken garden without falling in. Unfortunately they didn't (fall in that is), but the otherwise serene atmosphere was greatly disturbed.
Should I, or someone have said something to them? They certainly had plenty of disapproving looks, but to little effect, so I think that they would have been truely amazed that they might be causing offense.
Otherwise the gardens were magnificent as I hope these photos show:

More photos from previous visits to Packwood.