Hidcote Manor Garden

Friday May 11, 2012

Hidcote Manor Garden, my destination on this day, is about 3 miles from Chipping Campden in Hidcote Bartrim Village. It's worth going to for the drive through the beautiful countryside where there are more sheep.

The garden was created by an American, Lawrence Johnston. The flowers weren't at their best - looked to be in an in-between stage but the garden is really interesting. It's described as being divided into rooms and that's how it feels. He must have had great fun creating each garden area. At every turn, there seems to be a surprise. One could spend a whole day in there. Well done and well worth a visit. I had an enjoyable conversation with a couple who live 25 miles away.

Rain and mud wasn't what I pictured for the Cotswolds, which is why I cut my time short and headed to Plymouth the next day.

The parking lot at Hidcote Manor Garden was large and well organized by a friendly attendant. I was pretty pleased at how I breezed in and parked as if I knew what I was doing.

A garden puzzle but no room in my luggage. I don't care for wooden ones anyway

'Sniff out the Hankerchief Tree about to unfold. Follow your nose to the Skunk Cabbage in the stream gardens.'

'Room' after room after room.

I stopped for coffee and a piece of cake in the cafeteria - it seems that there are such places almost everywhere in England ... and their baked goods put ours to shame. Then discovered another large area of the garden I hadn't seen.

There might have been a scarecrow contest going on.

Email from back then ...
Well, I don't believe this. Just a while ago there was a biplane - yes a biplane no less, flying around outside my window - doing aerobatics! It was like my own private airshow. The pilot even put smoke on for a moment. So joyful, it made me laugh. A 'Glenn moment' if ever there was one. (Unfortunately, my camera was useless for following an object zapping around the sky.)

Late lunch / early supper
(Yes, white bread - I just felt like it)

Came back to this wonderful hotel (Charingworth Manor) mid afternoon and took it easy. Booked a train to Plymouth for noon. Have to change trains in Reading. So, the plan is to allow myself more than twice the amount of time that should be needed to get to Oxford, then return the car and get over to the train station which is in the neighbourhood.

Day 2 in Chipping Campden - May 11, 2012

Email from Friday May 11, 2012

The food is really good here at Charingworth Manor. I don't know what the secret ingredient is but this morning's scrambled eggs must have been the best I've ever had. The waiter wore a suit. I had to chuckle when he said 'No problem' to a couple who were sitting behind me, because that was one of Glenn's pet peeves. 'No problem' the man repeated to his table mate, and then he was off and running about the English language. For Coronation Street watchers, think Norris Cole only more pompous. 'Americans don't know what the word well means, unless it's to do with oil. They don't say they're well, they say they're real good... not even really good. I doubt most of them know...' 'That's not true,' said the lady. 'When (so-and-so) phones, she doesn't say she's real good.' So then he carried on loudly in French and German.

I drove into Chipping Campden to visit the information office. A taxi driver - probably the one I'd got a ride with yesterday - who does tours in the area had told me that Hidcote Manor Garden was closed on Thursdays and Fridays. This was disappointing because it was one reason I came here. Fortunately his information was out of date because it changed this year.

The weather was better. Here are some pictures from my walk around town.

I hadn't expected to see so much wisteria in England 

Purple balcony railings 

 

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I walked up behind the High Street and found some charming places 

Hoo Cottage - how cute 

When I think of Graham Greene, I think of the Canadian actor