Wandering through Time and Place

Exploring the world with Curtis and Peggy Mekemson
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  • Tag: England

    • A Garden of Weeds— and More… in the Cotswolds by Peggy Mekemson

      Posted at 5:00 am by Curt Mekemson
      Nov 6th
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      Yes, Anne, the host AKA “Bad Tempered Gardener,” shared that there were gardens of weeds throughout her garden. Still beautiful…but I did have a massive allergy attack after wandering around. It was still worth the visit!

      Today, I wrap up my tour of English gardens with Cerney House, Overbury Court, Whitcombe House, Wyndcliffe Court Sculpture Gardens, Veddw House Gardens in Wales, and Hellens Manor. (I have two more blogs on the Abbeys and Villages of Cotswolds, however. And I may do one on the Tower of London.)

      Cerney House was described originally as a romantic, secret place. (It’s also known for its goat cheese.) Built in 1660, it was renovated in 1983 by Sir Michael and Lady Angus. It is still a work in progress with “a pleasantly un-manicured garden, happy plants…unrestrained.” We enjoyed pigs in the woods, Roman snails in the garden and delicious tea and cakes! Rather unique…

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      The residence had a unique look compared to our other experiences.

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      This was part of the garden in front of the house. How could I resist this rooster?

      Overbury House was rebuilt after a fire in 1738. Constructed of the golden, ashlar faced stone famous in the Cotswold, it is privately owned. The head gardener treated us to the tour of the three acre garden and the lush parkland surrounding the house. The owners were present so we were kept discretely away from the main house. The 3000 acres included 2 villages— yes, they own the villages also. This estate is surrounding by 3 rivers and is subject to flooding according to the gardener, perhaps the reason for the lush parkland and simplicity of design!

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      Overbury Estate

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      The head gardener shared that staff would often enjoy a swim here when work was completed. I like that thought!

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      This gives you a sense of the manicured grounds with a view of the estate chapel.

      Whitcombe House is literally next door to the Overbury House. It voluntarily participates in the National Garden Scheme, where revenues raised through entrance fees are donated to various charities. We were excited about its lovely one acre garden. We had finally found something we might hope to replicate. We were treated to homemade cakes and tea by the family, while grandchildren ran free with the dog . The personal touch was a delightful change from our previous experiences of estates…. manors….. courts….etc.

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      Our first view of Whitcombe House from the bus.

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      I love stone walls. I wanted to take this one home!

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      Part of the backyard garden, full of delightful surprises, all in one acre.

      Wyndcliffe Court Sculpture Gardens was not on our original agenda. It turned out to be one of my favorites. Described in the “arts and crafts” style, this estate hosted two sculpture shows during the year featuring hundreds of sculptures throughout the gardens. (There are never enough; I was one happy visitor!) The original gardens were completed in 1933. Eventually, the owner left his fortune to his gardener. Together they had created sculpted yew hedging, topiary birds and animals, and long grass bowling greens, a perfect venue for the present day sculpture displays.

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      Wyndcliffe Court

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      This bench awaited us as we entered the grounds. Jane and I could not resist. I wanted to bring it home!

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      Like this nymph one had to look closely to spot many a hidden delight.

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      From large metal dragonflies in the forest to these glass sculptures, the variety was amazing.

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      Just plain fun…..

      Veddw House Garden, in Wales, was truly unique in that it was designed and cared for by “The Bad Tempered Gardener” and her husband. Anne, our hostess, shared with us that she loved gardens but hated gardening! Despite her challenge, they have created what is described as “a modern romantic garden.” Using two acres for gardens and two acres as woodland, the quirky garden was dominated by incredible hedges and LOTS of wild flowers including flowering weeds— yup, I had a massive allergy attack and used up half of England’s supply of Kleenex.

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      Each view brought a smile, such creativity.

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      This was a favorite. What you do not see is the reflection pool, also mesmerizing.

      Hellens Manor was our last garden to be visited. More than a garden, Hellens was a historical monument to centuries of history including stories of Ann Boleyn, Mary Tudor, the Earl of Essex, ghosts, and more. The manor was granted to the Bolem Family in 1096, one of whom witnessed the signing of the Magna Carta. Our focus was on the house this time. We had a delightful tour guide who had many stories to tell, including one about surprising guests in a bedroom while leading a tour. The owners created a charitable trust, which runs the estate today. The curator is both American and English, not so unusual apparently based on our experience. The gardens are a work in progress, but did include animal sculptures, a yew labyrinth (easy solved!), and a walled knot garden.

      Hellens Manor

      Hellens Manor in the town of Much Marcle.

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      A favorite part of the garden near Hellens Manor.

      As you can imagine, there was so much more to see and describe with the gardens. This was just a taste of our experience, which was absolutely delightful and magical.

      Next Blog:

      On to the colorful towns in Cotswold were we were free to eat and walk and discover on our own! My kind of touring…

      Note: Peggy and I will be traveling in Mexico for the next couple of weeks. We should have Internet but if not we will be off line. –Curt

      Posted in Wandering The World | Tagged Cerney House, Cotswold, England, garden tour of the Cotswolds, Hellens Manor, Overbury Court, Peggy Mekemson, photography, Veddw, Whitcombe House, Wyndcliffe Court Sculpture Gardens
    • More Beautiful Gardens in the Cotswolds… by Peggy Mekemson

      Posted at 5:00 am by Curt Mekemson
      Nov 4th
      Hidcote Manor (hedged rooms and sculptured hedges)

      Hidcote Manor is known for its “outdoor rooms,” which include  sculptured hedges and dramatic plantings.

      In my last blog we visited the gardens of Highclere Castle, Camers, and Abbey House. Today we move on to Hidcote Manor, Kiftsgate Court and Misarden Park.

      First up. Hidcote Manor is referred to as the garden of “hedged rooms” and sculptured hedges. In fact, I read that the four miles of hedges require gardeners to work four days a week for seven months just to maintain them! An American horticulturist and later a naturalized British citizen, Major Lawrence Johnson, spent 40 years creating the gardens on land his mother had purchased in 1907. In 1948 he gave this estate to the National Trust. The Trust now advertises this site as an Arts and Crafts Garden.

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      Despite overcast days, the colors were still striking.

      An example of a hedged room.

      An example of a hedged room.

      Jane and a sculptured hedge.

      Jane and a sculptured hedge.

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      The Long Walk at Hidcote Garden.

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      The village of thatched stone cottages behind the manor was a wonderful surprise. They were once home to Johnstone’s gardeners. Now the Trust rents them out.

      We visited Kiftsgate Court on a rainy day. Having just come from a very dry summer in Oregon, I was thrilled to soak up the rain. With rain comes green, green, green instead of drought, drought, drought! I thoroughly enjoyed the fountains and the reflection pool, which, we were told, is a great swimming hole. The colors that popped out on the rainy day were another treat, especially the blue door leading to who knows what treasures. Your guess is as good as mine.

      Kiftsgate Court

      Kiftsgate Court

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      We were told that we had missed the prime time for full blooms. However, I was pretty impressed by what I saw.

      The blue door

      The blue door with its overgrown path was quite intriguing.

      Reflection and swimming pool.

      Our path took us to this reflection pool. We learned that this was also used as  a swimming pool. I was tempted! Just below this overlook was a herd of sheep, quite a magical contrast of white on green.

      Misarden Park/Estate began as a 17th century manor house, including 3000 acres and most of the village of Misarden (only the pub and school are not owned by the estate). The Wills, a tobacco family, bought this estate and village in 1913 and takes pride in both “the environment and the wider community.” For example, all electrical lines are buried. They will only rent to tenants who will contribute to the maintaining of the community and the estate. We were delighted to meet a future tenant and his friends who were renovating one of the cottages and happily took us on a tour.

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      My first view of the residence, which is privately owned.  It was occupied when we arrived. We respected the family’s privacy and gave the house wide berth.

      Roses

      We had been looking for roses and finally found them— beautifully entwined in this old tower.

      Tree

      A Hobbit tree? Let your imagination go on this one. Yes, that is a tree packed with stones, all merged for a unique fence.

      Gateway

      Gateway to another Long Walk. How can one resist following it to the end?

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      A final view of the residence with its Cotswold stone roof. I will feature scenes from the village in another blog which captures the character of the small villages in the Cotswolds.

      NEXT BLOG: Cerney House, Overbury Court, Whitcombe House, Wyndcliffe Court, Veddw (that’s Welsh, not a misspelling),  and Hellens Manor gardens.

      Posted in Wandering The World | Tagged Arts and Crafts Gardens, Cotswolds, England, English gardens, gardens, Hidcote Manor, Kiftsgate Court, Major Lawrence Johnson, Misarden Estate, Misarden Park, National Trust, Peggy Mekemson, photography, thatched stone cottages
    • A Garden Tour of England’s Cotswolds… by Peggy Mekemson

      Posted at 5:00 am by Curt Mekemson
      Nov 2nd
      Jane and I sit among magnificent Hydrangeas at Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey). A taste of things to come.

      Jane and I sit among magnificent Hydrangea at Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey). A taste of things to come.

      While I was off touring the California coast north of San Francisco in August, my wife Peggy was on a garden tour of the Cotswolds in England with her sister Jane. She’s been eager to blog about her experience, but I had to finish my Olompali series first. Please join her as she shares the beautiful gardens and charming towns she visited over the next couple of weeks. —Curt

      My sister, Jane Hagedorn, loves gardens and she loves England. I love my sister. So when Jane called and asked that I join her for a garden tour in the Cotswolds, of course, I said “yes.” I did little research other than reading the notes sent to us by the tour company and checking the weather in England in August. I was going into this with a completely open mind wondering what my impressions would be….and of course, what kind of photographs would reflect this journey of 12 gardens, several abbeys, a cathedral, and seven English villages. The camera was packed!

      We extended our stay to join my brother John and his wife Frances for a few days in London. They had been traveling via auto throughout Europe for 5 months. We had some catching up to do. John also had been blogging about their adventures, a great read. Check it out: http://dallen.posthaven.com

      When Curt suggested I put together 4-6 guest blogs, I delayed, delayed, delayed! How could I take 800 photos and select a mere 50-75 to share on the blogs? What would I say— Curt is the writer in this family! Nevertheless here you are, beginning with three blogs featuring a brief photo journey of gardens in the Cotswolds. Following the gardens I will feature the Abbeys and small, colorful towns of Cotswolds.

      1st Blog: Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey, Camers in Old Sodbury, and Abbey House Garden aka Home of the Naked Gardeners in Malmesbury.

      Let me start by noting that all of the gardens were gorgeous. The colors, the size of the flowers, the hedges, the orchards, the kitchen gardens, sculptures and water fountains— wow! It was really, really hard to limit myself to 15 photos per blog that Curt suggested. I quickly learned that gardens came in all shapes and sizes ranging from 1 acre to 5000 acres. They were attached to castles, farmhouses, abbeys, manors, courts, parks, and houses. Also, I love architecture, so I have included photos of the various residences.

      Historically, what was once a medieval palace became a house and then a castle rebuilt between 1838-1878. Over 1000 acres, it is considered a parkland featuring lawns, cedars, and deciduous trees….and a few gardens.

      Historically, what was once a medieval palace became a house and then a castle rebuilt between 1838-1878. Over 1000 acres, Highclere Castle is considered a parkland featuring lawns, cedars, and deciduous trees….and a few gardens.

      First stop on the garden tour: Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey. Although its location is actually in Berkshire, it was on the way to the Cotswolds and….we had tickets! With the popularity of the PBS series Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle has become quite a challenge to visit. It is open to visitors only 60-70 days a year. It is privately owned and family still lives in part of the castle! Add to this the fact that August is also a heavy month for tourism— well, there were a lot of people wanting to share this experience.

      Second stop: Camers in Old Sodbury (love the English names) was an absolute delight! It is an Elizabethan farmhouse and is part of the National Garden Scheme. That means it is open occasionally for the charity to raise money. We were greeted by the elderly couple who, with their son, own and manage the gardens. They now live in the converted outer building while the son lives in the farmhouse (not open to the public).

      We wandered the 2 ½ acre garden which is part of the wooded 4 acres. It was amazing how much color and variety could be found!

      We wandered the 2 ½ acre garden which is part of the wooded 4 acres. It was amazing how much color and variety could be found!

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      As I soon discovered, hedges are everywhere…all sizes, shapes, and forms.

      One of many intriguing garden walkways at Camers.

      One of many intriguing garden walkways at Camers.

      This got our attention. Jane provides perspective! There must be plenty of water in England.

      This got our attention. Jane provides perspective! There must be plenty of water in England.

      Brilliant colors galore. My last photo at Camers.

      Brilliant colors galore. My last photo at Camers.

      The final stop today is Malmesbury, the oldest inhabited town in England. Abbey House Gardens is also known as the Home of the Naked Gardeners, Ian and Barbara Pollard. (Their web-site claims clothing is optional on six Sundays during the year.) I couldn’t help but wonder what the monks who lived here in the 12th Century would have thought about going naked. The Pollards purchased the residence and abandoned 5.5-acre garden in 1994 and revitalized it, adding their own touches. I found their design both amusing and eclectic.

      I found the Abbey Gardens eclectic and amusing.

      I found the Abbey Gardens eclectic and amusing.

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      The gardens can be almost overwhelming when trying to capture the design, color, depth, lushness, and uniqueness. However, I had a good time trying!

      Leaving the Monastery one is greeted by this sculpture at the entrance to Abbey House Gardens.

      Leaving the 12th century abbey grounds,  one is greeted by this sculpture at the entrance to Abbey House Gardens.

      Next blog: On to Hidcote Manor, Kiftsgate Court and Mismarden Park.

      Posted in Wandering The World | Tagged Abbey House Gardens, Berkshire, Camers, Cotswolds, Downton Abbey, England, Gardens in the Cotswolds, HIghclere Castle, Home of the Naked Gardeners, Jane Hagedorn, Malmesbury, National Garden Scheme, Old Sodbury, Peggy Mekemson, photography
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