Talk about a water feature--Blenheim Palace

As Robyn and I set off intrepidly from the Cotswolds to London, we had to go by Blenheim.  It was built by the Duke of Marborough in the early eighteenth century from lands (and some funds) from a grateful Queen Anne (and later George I) to reward his military victory at Blenheim.  It is stunningly beautiful and huge.  I had forgotten of course that Winston Churchill had been born there.  The Marlboroughs, Churchills, and Spencers are interwoven in ways only the British can understand.  It is impossible to imagine being born there in a room just off the main huge entryway, but there he was.  The interior was refurbished in the 19th century by American money.  Consuelo Vanderbilt was auctioned off by her evil mother to the 9th Duke of Marlborough.  Theirs was not a great marriage (perhaps the fact that she reportedly sobbed throughout the ceremony in New York didn't get it off to a good start).  But Consuelo brought a large settlement to the marriage, produced an heir and a spare, and was quite accepted in British society--being 6 feet tall, beautiful and brillant had to help. 

The main point about the landscape (apart from the formal gardens) is the Capabilty Brown design of the two lakes.  It's almost impossible to capture with a little camera, but you can see what the sweep of green lawn, lakes and beautiful trees can be--if of course you have a palace to go with it.

End note on Consuelo--after she and the Duke had gone their separate ways, she married and French balloonist and settled in France.  She was always quite close to Winston, and he first took up painting at her estate in France.  She died in Southampton, NY, in 1964.

A moat--the ultimate water feature!

We went off to Broughton Castle, near Banbury, because Robyn had never seen a castle.  What a treat!  The site has been continuously occupied by the same family since 1377.   It's a smallish castle, but still quite medieval with a Tudor overlay--the excesses of the Victorians passed by here for economic reasons.  The great hall on the main floor was the scene for the dance in Shakespeare in Love and appropriately so, because I think there was a Fiennes in the movie (the family name of the Saye and Sele baronets). The linen fold oak paneling the dining hall is just exquisite.   Obviously, we didn't look depressed because the docent in the top floor let us out to the roof.  The picture opportunity overcame the fear of heights.  The ladies garden is on the site of the 13th century kitchens.  It is a formal parterre with informal plantings.  We were told that the garden is maintained by only one gardener, but I'm a bit aghast at that.  This is a wonderful place to visit--the docents are fabulous, the property not over the top.  I would love to live here.

Sezincote

This house and garden was built about 1810 in the Indian style with a center dome, minarets, peacock tail windows and pavillions.  The orginal builder had worked in India and seemingly got a lot of the style right.  The house tours (which are timed, again get there early) are actually very interesting.  The house is still occupied by a young family--the property is a large acreage with farms and rental houses, and the garden is rented out for weddings, etc.  There was a tent going up the day we visited.  Robyn thought the house was much more interesting than the garden, and I agree.  The stream garden, redesigned by Graham Thomas, is quite beautiful in the early autumn.  There are fabulous specimans of gigantic trees (again to protect from the Cotswold winds), but unless you are into the arboretum look, the house is where it's at.

Snowshill Manor

We found ourselves at Snowshill because Kiftsgate was closed (had just gone onto its fall schedule) and Snowshill is just nine miles away.  The National Trust blurbs on it sound somewhat unappealing--like it was the home of an eccentric collector (Charles Wade).  It is actually a delightful experience.  The garden and the orchard are lovely and follow the same arts and crafts principles as Hidcote. But it's smaller and looser and the garden ornament is interestingly used.  The beds are neat and well tended, but the plants aren't as precious and rare as those at Hidcote.  The collections are fantastic--they are tied together by the excellence of their hand craftsmanship.  The Manor House was used only as a staging area by Wade--he and his wife lived in what is called the Priest's House, which looked more like an ancient gate house.  It's a magical little place, but he did have heated running water for his bath and a view over the Cotswold Hills.  This is a timed entry place, so get there early, get your tickets, and hit the garden and the gift shop while you await your turn.

Chipping Campden

The little village of Chipping Campden is a great base for garden visiting in the Cotswolds.  It was September while we were there, so not great hordes of tourist busses.  It is the beginning and the end of the Cotswold walking trails, so there were still a lot of people around with hiking boots and sticks.  We stayed at the Campden House Hotel--highly recommended, great people, great breakfast (included).  It's in the village, so it's no drama to grab dinner in the evening.  The best pub in town is the Pig andWhistle, which was bustling with locals as well as visitors.  Another great place to eat is the Horse and Groom pub in Bourton on the Hill, a short cab ride away.  It's justifiably famous for its food, so book early for the restaurant or take your chances  in the bar (we scored a table by arriving about 6:40).  A reliable local car service is Chipping Campden cars, who will also do tours of Oxford if the traffic is daunting and time is short.

Hidcote--One last comment

Hidcote is almost too much to take in on one visit.  The planting is so fabulous that you get lost in the detail and really lose sight of the design achievement of the garden (on a windy hillside, no less).  The garden definitely loosens up (as in bigger, more bold design moves) as you move away from the house.  The gardens near the house were the first completed, and then there was some gap before the long walk, the pleached hedges and the bigger rooms.  Johnston left almost no written records--drawings, plant lists, etc., so much is pieced together (Ethne Clark's recent bio is a good one).  The photo is of the magnificant Cedar of Lebanon with the axis to the ha ha beyond (yes, there are sheep on the other side of the ha ha).

Bad Hair at Hidcote

The hedge and topiary trimming was going on the day we were at Hidcote.  The pool garden with the iconic birds is very serene--surrounded by hedges and with a little summer house to the side.  There are tiles in the summer house, and Johnston had originally painted a mural in the shelter.  It must have been divine to sit there and watch the bathing pool. The more I read about him and after seeing both gardens, the more I think brillant gardening is talent, passion, and more than a touch of obsession. 

Red Borders at Hidcote

The red borders are in their glory in September even in the rain.  It's interest to note that the borders are not mirrors, even though the same plants are repeated on both sides.  The plants repeat within each side, but not with a strict rhythm.  So your eye moves the length of the border.  There are plants that are unique to each side (see the cimfuga half way back); these plants serve as explanation points and stop the eye from moving too quickly.  All very subtle and sophisticated.

Onward to the Cotswolds

Sat Nav is a wonderful thing.  It got us from Heathrow to Chipping Campden with no hiccups.  Chipping Campden is the quinessential Cotswold village--nearly intact, good pubs, only a few tourists this time of year, and what look to be a fair number of retirees (reminds me of Bellport).  After a pause for refuelling, we pushed on to Hidcote.  It was rainy, so the photos are a little dull.  The garden was anything but dull.  It is almost too much to take in at one time.  The plant combos are exciting, the design principles absolutely obvious to even a non-design maven.  We stayed until the light was fading and the rain bucketing down.  Then we proceeded to get hopelessly lost getting back the four miles to Chipping Camden and saw a lot ofvery pretty black-faced sheep.  A good pub meal at Eight Bells finished off the day.

New Dahlia--Zorro

Hi All--I'm testing my ability to post a picture--of a new dahlia (to me anyhow)

--Zorro.  ALF

NY Drought

Hi--We've had rain

Hi All--I'm creating this blog to post from the extendedgarden tour of Europe beginning Sept14.