Topiary at Levens Hall

This garden wasn’t on my ‘to visit’ list, but when our hosts said it was a garden full of topiary, well it jumped to the top of my list. It was less than a fifteen minute drive from where we were staying so it seemed a complete no brainer, and we worked out that we could pair it with a visit to the National Trust’s nearby Sizergh Castle, which was on my list, so even better.

This was the view that met us as we walked through the wooden gate to the gardens:

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Even though I’d read on the Levens Hall website that the privately-owned house was home to the world’s oldest topiary gardens, I’m not sure I quite expected this. The gardens remain largely unchanged since the 17th century and were truly remarkable.

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The garden is a mix of ‘ancient box and yew’ and for someone that, as you know, has a bit of a thing for topiary was breathtaking. I don’t know how my research of the area missed this gem, but I was so glad that we were pointed in the right direction early in our stay!

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The gardeners were busy working, but still happy to stop and chat and share more about the gardens. There’s so many shapes to trim that each is only cut once a year, otherwise as the gardener’s said that’s all they’d be doing. And as any gardener knows, there’s always something to be done - while we were there they were fastidiously replacing the bedding plants.

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The house wasn’t open on the day we visited, which is a shame as from a at-a-distance-glance-through the windows it looked a great place to visit. It’s a family home which the leaflet we were given assured was one that was free of ropes and barriers for visitors, so as such it felt right to sneak a look rather than peer through the windows!

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There was more than the topiary, but clearly this was the main feature - another day I’ll share more from here, and by then we may even have tasted the jar of honey we purchased part-way round the garden. But until then, let’s just enjoy the topiary and the many varied shapes.

“TheGardenYear

Enjoying the atmosphere in the Shade House

The weather here is still mostly Winter, with a little bit of Spring. But just enough to fool you. To fool you it’s warm, and it is in the sun. But it’s definitely not in the shade. I don’t know about you but the warmth of the sun is very welcome, however brief and I’m looking forward to it being more constant. But today’s post definitely has heat, we’re heading back in Barbados and memories from our trip in December 2019, where spending some time in the Shade House was very welcome.

We’d taken a taxi to visit the Andromeda Botanical Gardens, and it was an incredibly hot day even by Barbados standards. It was nice to wander around the planned route of the garden, which was probably one of the best labelled and informative gardens we’ve been too. The Shade House was the 31st stop (of 41) on our garden tour and the guide encouraged us to sit for a while to listen to the birds.

the shade house andromeda gardens

It was a fascinating structure, providing as its name suggests shade. Which was very welcome. It’s rustic nature brought charm as well as shade. And in the climate it’s not like a greenhouse was needed, so this made perfect sense.

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The plants were ferns, arums and phormiums. Though taking a seat was trickier as the arums got there first. But loiter a little we did, glad of the brief respite.

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variegated phormium

Sadly we didn’t get to spot the birds suggested by the guide - though we may not have recognised a Bananaquit if we’d seen one, or been quick enough to capture a hummingbird. I’m sure they were there, but we weren’t attuned to them. But it was a fabulous space, and as lush as the rest of the gardens, and a few degrees cooler which was very, very welcome.

PoCoLo

Calm and swirls in the Mediterranean garden at Houghton Hall

It’s hard to think that it was only four months ago when we escaped to a Norfolk cottage for a short stay. It seems much longer than that at times, and so much has happened since then, mostly Covid-related which needs no further comment. We were lucky that we were still able to go, and while we were there we made the most of where we were.

And that included a trip to Houghton. We carefully planned - or snuck - a visit for on our way home, and I think we covered every blade of grass while we were there. It had been wet, and so we were prepared with our walking boots. Less prepared when we found them in the boot of the car a month or so later, but you can’t have everything all of the time can you?

in the mediterranean garden at houghton hall

The main reason for our visit was to see the Anish Kapoor exhibition - which was fab - but I was also keen to spend some more time in the walled garden. This garden - the Mediterranean garden, is part of that, and while you can’t see the walls trust me, they’re there, behind the hedges.

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It’s the swirls of the hedges and the tranquility that appeals. The calming colours of the bench, the terracotta pots and the green of the plants, but it’s also the symmetry - it feels the ideal place to sit and while away a stressful day, in the right weather of course.

a bench with a view

Though keeping such a space looking so good is I’m sure no mean feat, if it were mine I’d need an attentive gardening team just so I could sit and enjoy those swirls. Not going to happen is it, but a girl can dream!

PoCoLo