Celebrating colour at Hidcote

Since we’ve moved to Nottinghamshire many of our regular journeys to visit family and friends have changed, understandably, and that’s meant our usual places to stop have also changed. Our journey to Devon no longer takes us along the A303 (a blessing!) but it means Marlborough and Stourhead aren’t en-route either, both are places which we love to visit.

But it does mean that we have a whole new series of towns, gardens and houses to get to know, and that’s how we came to visit Hidcote. We’d originally planned to stop on the way down, but due to the weather that was correctly forecast the garden was shut for the day, so with remarkably better weather on our return journey, we stopped and I think I’m just a little bit smitten.

Hidcote is ‘one of the country’s most celebrated gardens’ according to the leaflet handed to us as we entered, and it didn’t disappoint. It covers 10.5 acres and the spaces are both formal and intimate, and full of vistas - and plants - to admire. The garden was designed by Lawrence Johnstone in phases from 1907 to 1938, and the borders are full of newly discovered plants and exotic rarities from plant hunting expeditions from around the world. He gifted Hidcote to the National Trust in 1948, and it’s now a Grade I listed garden, which until our visit I didn’t know existed.

We weren’t surprised to be greeted by the typically honeyed cotswold stone, but the riot of colour alongside the cafe was perhaps not what we expected. Hidcote is one of those gardens where paths lead you to explore, with sights and colours pulling you through the garden - the map given to us as we entered was useful to identify which area we were in, but what I most liked about this garden was that there was plenty of spaces to start. Our starting point was clear, once I’d spotted the Plant House through the gate in the hedge…

Well, who wouldn’t want to explore further?

Inside the steel structured plant house there was so much to see, the plants, the structure itself let alone the stone planters of succulents nestled on the steps. And then there was the view over to the lily pond, which of course was beautifully framed by a vibrant yellow border. I’m so glad that we weren’t able to visit on the day we originally planned to, as seeing an all time favourite plant - the red hot pokers - on a warm, sunny September day was so much more worthwhile.

Somehow in driving rain I think the enjoyment would have been so much less! Especially for the bee which was having a quick nap.

But what colour, clearly being a bee here is hard work. But isn’t all this colour joyous?

There were signs of autumn throughout the garden as you’d expect - it was the very end of September after all.

There was also plenty of inspiration. I’ve included this espaliered fruit tree here to remind me that this is what I want to do with the peach tree from dad, and to remind me that I still haven’t created a square frame from canes to start to train it into this shape.

In the potting shed, I turned to MOH and said this is what I want my tiny greenhouse to be like. I’m not sure he got it as, well I won’t have this kind of shelving unit, but I will have the terracotta pots and the plan for the tiny greenhouse is to be pretty as well as functional, but it won’t be industrial functional as there just won’t be the room.

After a walk through the orchards and productive garden we turned and headed back on ourselves through the Beech Allee, and what a walk that was. Again made by the dappled sunlight streaming through the trees. Completely uplifting and again joyous.

Walking through the iron gate, again set into a hedge, we found ourselves on the Great Lawn, heading towards the Red Borders, which as you’d expect from the name, had predominantly red leaved and red flowering plants.

The Long Walk, again aptly named, was bordered by hedges which the gardening team were cutting. It takes five months, with four gardeners working each week day, to cut these hedges which given the amount of time it takes are only cut once a year. If it takes this long now, with modern equipment, I can’t imagine how long it would have taken beforehand.

We wandered around spotting the bathing pool (above) and the vista towards the old garden below, with its magnificent cedar tree. We meandered through paths eventually finding ourselves under the tree and walking through the white garden with its silver leafed plants really helping this garden live up to its name.

So definitely a garden full of colour, and one I’m pretty sure we’ll be back to as well.

A short stay on the lake

Last week we had a few nights away, and took a slow and leisurely route to a weekend in Devon with family. Well, that was the plan anyway - we were actually travelling on the day it didn’t stop raining which made motorway driving a lot more stressful than it should have been. And longer too, but thankfully we arrived without any mishaps, and more importantly without encountering any on the way either.

We’d stopped in the nearby town for some provisions for breakfast and for the following day, which turned out to be a good plan and meant that the following day could be a completely car free day, assuming the weather brightened up as forecast. Thankfully it did, but if it hadn’t and we decided to stay ‘home’ then it really wouldn’t have been an issue.

We’d pushed the boat out a little (sorry!) for this stay, as with moving and all the house shenanigans we’d been pretty much full on for the past few months, and while we love our new house and surroundings, sometimes it’s so much easier to relax when you’re not at home, right?

And this was a beautiful place to pick, even in the driving rain.

We were immediately struck by the quietness and the totally awesome view. We were dry (or drying off) and mesmerised by the beauty ahead of us, and the swan which performed what felt like a welcoming ritual just for us (it was of course searching for food, but that reality doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?!)

The lodge was light and airy, with glass walls on all four sides - and on each of these there was a deck which two of them looked over the lake (another had a hot tub and barbecue), the third was in a small garden area and the fourth was the main entrance. We didn’t get much of a chance to use the deck areas, partly because of the weather but also because our stay was relatively short.

The mezzanine bedroom was cosy and comfortable, and also had views of the lake - and the swan!

The open plan bathroom was at the far end of the bedroom. There was some privacy with the shutters and carefully placed cupboards, but not much. It looked great and stylish, but in practical terms a door would have been preferable - that said, the website was clear, so we knew what to expect.

It did have the most amazing shower though.

Aside from the view of the lake, I think my next most favourite view of the whole space was this one, looking down from the mezzanine bedroom onto the living area and onto the deck and lake beyond.

The lounge was cosy too - with a wood burner and plenty of wood, along with the owner’s encouragement to use as much as was needed (which for us was none). We spent our evenings watching the lake and the comings and goings, and then when it got too dark some reading, some eating and drinking and a spot of TV, nothing very much different to at home, but somehow more relaxing all the same.

The kitchen was perfectly functional with a combi microwave and hob as well as a fridge and dishwasher, plus utensils and crockery. The bonus was for it to include knives that were sharp enough to actually cut and prepare food, tea towels, and basics such as salt, pepper, oil, foil, clingfilm and kitchen roll. We’d have liked for there to have been a baking tray and a frying pan, but we managed without though not without some creative thinking.

The morning after we arrived, and after all the rain, the view got even better if that was even possible.

Waking around 7am and looking across to the lake, the view was mesmerising - but not so much that I didn’t reach for my phone to take a picture, just as well as I think MOH missed most of the mist.

We had a great stay in the Waterlily Lodge at the Little Horseshoe Lake, and if you’re looking for a stay full of nature (and hopefully less rain) I’d recommend a visit, but you’d probably need more than a couple of nights to completely recharge.

Sun on Saturday: Bristol Harbour

One day last month I drove to Bristol for a blogging conference at M Shed in Bristol Harbour. I picked up lots of tips, like you do at these things and met some of the bloggers I talk to online for the first time. So it was quite a day.

The setting was great. M Shed is a museum and is home to displays of 3000 Bristol artefacts and stories showing Bristol's role in the slave trade and items on transport, people and the arts. It takes its name from how the port identified each of its sheds.

I didn't get to look around the museum, but when the sun came out I did pop out and take some pictures of the docks.

Outside the museum are four electric cranes which are the last of eight that worked on the quayside unloading ships quickly onto road transport, railway trucks or barges or into transit sheds for short-term storage. They were pretty impressive and at times can be seen working.

They are as big as they look and I was captivated by them. Here's just a few of the photos I took of them.

In front of the museum are a number of historic vessels which also bring the area's history to life.

Opposite the city of Bristol climbed into the distance with the historic buildings blending effortlessly with the modern structures.

And to end I'll leave you with one last shot of those cranes, which totally had me hooked!

[Sorry!]

Bristol, I think I'll be back to explore the rest of your sights soon.