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.

Kew Royal Botanic Gardens April 25, 2012 - Part 1

It rained all day, but I didn't care! It made for more of an adventure and cut down my time at Kew Gardens which enabled me to fit in a trip to Hampton Court Palace.

I love the Oyster cards. Got on the tube after breakfast. Swipe card on and off. Had to change part way along to another line to get to Kew Gardens, which is some distance away. When you get off at the Tube station at Kew, the National Archives are almost right there! Wish I'd known that.

Didn't realize there was such a big park at Kew. I began walking on a garden path and was virtually alone. Sure, one could spend a whole day there... on a nicer day. I didn't feel like walking all the way in pouring rain to the other end to see if the bluebells were blooming. Went through several large glass buildings. It's not the same kind of garden as Butchart's but it's a case of apples & oranges so they can't be compared. Frankly though, I expected this place to be much grander.

Get off at the station and you're in a residential/commercial area. Where might the gardens be?

Just follow the crowd, I guess.

The entrance gate. Actually this is probably a different gate. There are a few.

Nice weather if you're a goose.

The Pagoda was completed in 1762.

The Temperate House.

Eek, I didn't expect to be reminded of The Haunting here. This place is a little ramshackle.

Perhaps it is interesting to people who are avid fans of unusual plants.

Back outside it's still raining.

My kingdom for a gumdrop.

Palm House. 

Still raining.

Inside this building I cut my finger while closing my umbrella. Wouldn't you know it would be a rare occasion that I was without a bandaide? I had to find a worker to ask for one... but in England do I call it a bandaide or a 'plaster'?

I'll go for a little woodlands walk.

A magpie?

Kew Palace and the Royal Kitchens.

The best part - snack time! There are a couple of cafes and a couple of restaurants on the grounds.

A young man in an info booth gave me terrific directions to get to the bus for Hampton Court Palace - turn right out of driveway, take road to the right but not the one to the extreme right, pass under a bridge, go to so-and-so and catch the # whatever bus. I followed his instructions, saw a shopping area, looked across the road and there was the bus! I got on, swiped card, and it left a minute later.

This was the worst weather of the day. The rain was pelting down.