The garden of Reflection

Visitors approach the Garden of Reflection along curving paths past the well pools. The planting echoes colours and shapes of the stained glass in the palace chapel.

The Path of Hope

Within the garden they find themselves beneath the gaze of the Cathedral tower, in a green and sheltering enclosure. Beside the path is a long, curving stone seat.

a place to pause and experience the Garden. Bishop Peter chose a line from Machado’s poem to inscribe on the stone bench because it expresses a spiritual journey ‘towards eternal values of truth, peace, justice and love. How we walk the path determines our destiny, we walk in hope.’

Wanderer, your footsteps are the path, and nothing more; wanderer, there is no path, the path is made by walking, by walking one makes the path and upon glancing back one sees the path that will never be trod again. Wanderer, there is no path – only waves upon the sea.*

Poustinia

At the centre is a rounded, chapel-like ‘poustinia’ open to the sky. This design reflects a religious tradition in Russia, where people seeking solitude to deepen their self-understanding would go into the woods and to small hermitages to reflect.*

Field of Hope

*From A guide to the Palace & Gardens

10 Comments CherryPie on May 17th 2017

10 Responses to “The Garden of Reflection”

  1. What a wonderful idea to copy stained glass windows in the borders. Looks such a peaceful and relaxing garden to sit and reflect.

  2. james higham says:

    Garden of running along that stonework for me.

  3. The Yum List says:

    Those red flowers are stunning.

  4. They should open this park at night too.
    So people can gaze at the stars in the open-to-the-sky chapel.

  5. Ayush says:

    the red flowers have no trouble standing out in the grass, CP.