~In jeder Sprache wohnen andere Augen.~ ~I don't know where I am going but I am on my way.~

samedi 5 mars 2016

What a Journey!



Since early January, together with my friend from Hamburg, we started planning another snowdrop trip through English gardens.
A part from a lady running into the back of my car straight on the first roundabout after having left the motorway, all went smoothly and well and rather exciting. Luckily, my car has only damage in the bumper and that did not hinder us to continue our journey in a relaxed way.

First impressions came from Lacock, a village I always wanted to see. We had booked an utterly charming B&B (link: http://www.lacockpottery.com/lacockpotterybednadbreakfast.html)
 highly recommended to go to meet Simone and David but more of that later.

It was so pleasant to wander around in this peaceful garden after all the driving across the Channel.


The Abbey









this very friendly cat wanted to be our guide






Lacock village


So pleasant to still have evening sunlight

great room to stay in


another cat welcoming us

David lit a fire and offered us a glass of wine

The B&B is just opposite the church

Fish and chips - a must for the start

The day started as perfectly as the one before ended: great fire, fantastic full cooked English breakfast and the sun!

the garden surrounds the B&B


Rosemary in bloom 


the 'pink' window is due to the red tinted glass in the morning sun

we both did chose the hat with flowers

all quintessential English







as any 'good' tourist, we had to take a picture of 'Harry Potters' house










David explained that people who live in that house, have to drive through the ford



after visiting Devizes market  we went to Frome










Frome is a lovely town to visit and we went to get some flowers from the cute florist there for my DIL in Bristol.

The next day, we headed down to North Devon


The long drive made us hungry. Actually, no opportunity to have lovely cake on our journey was ever dismissed.












we enjoyed all our walk through the garden and were -again- lucky with the weather.

the fragrance in the greenhouse was so sweet - daffodils and freezia

perfect way to keep them upright: 4 sticks and some twine

Rosemoor House

Eventually, we went to visit Colesbourne Park in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire but there was also a property to be looked at on our way. 

Very cute but too much modernisation work to do. However, Herefordshire did it for me!

Colesbourne Park was a fantastic event!
Never in my life I would have believed that there are so many different snowdrops to be seen. It is believed that here is the biggest collection of galanthus to be seen. The park opens 5 weekends/year under the NGS for charity.


the icehouse
Galanthus George Elwes


Galanthus James Backhouse
carpets of snowdrops and cyclamens

Galanthus nivalis 'petite fille des Flandres' -as cute as its name


galanthus 'Kildare'
galanthus 'Margery Fish'



galanthus 'Falkland house'

galanthus 'Pusey green tips'
galanthus 'Bagpuize Virginia'


galanthus 'Primrose Warburg'
galanthus "Blewbury tart'


galanthus 'Lady Elphinstone'

in the park are also 8 'champion trees' to be found, Sir Henry explained us that those trees are of outstanding size - hence their name



galanthus 'Armine'
I find this snowdrop should have had the name of a rondo

many varieties were of course for sale

but none over 50 £

Sir Henry Elwes
after the fascination of the tiny bulbs came the fascination of the blue lake




the water is really of this unusual blue and Sir Henry told us that it is due to a clay mineral from the sources. If brave enough to dive in this icecold water, one could even not see its hand in the water 


so nice that he takes the time to explain so many things about his park


An absolutely stunning visit in a very fine place! If interested in Colesbourne Park's history, here is the link for the homepage: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/






The next journey to Dover is already booked: travel to Nots, workshop at Hope and Elvis.