Random thoughts and photos of my journey through life…
Filed under Gardens, Holidays, Winchester 2019
Mottisfont derives its name from a spring:
Fertile land and a plentiful water supply attracted the first settlers. The site’s name comes from a spring (“font”) that is still producing water in the grounds. It was the font around which the local community held its moots or meetings. An Augustinian priory was founded here in 1201 [...]
18 Comments CherryPie on May 29th 2019
Filed under Anecdotes, Gardens
During the season Hodnet Hall is open every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday but only three times on Wednesdays. Today was the first of those days and as Hodnet Hall is one of my favourite gardens I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
There were a few challenges along the way; newly laid chippings on the road with [...]
12 Comments CherryPie on May 15th 2019
Filed under Gardens
It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.
Leonardo de Vinci
4 Comments CherryPie on May 13th 2019
Filed under Gardens, Holidays, Kent & Chichester 2018
12 Comments CherryPie on Feb 13th 2019
The Rose Garden occupies the site of a medieval bowling green. It is enclosed by yew hedges and laid out with formal beds of Rosa Rugosa Alba, Rosa Winchester Cathedral, Rosa Alfred Carriere and Rosa Isaac Perrier. *
*From the Arundel Castle guidebook
8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 12th 2019
Filed under Gardens, Heritage, Holidays, Kent & Chichester 2018
Poplar Cottage was the home of a landless peasant and his family in the early-mid 17th century. The garden of such a low-status dwelling would have been used almost exclusively to produce food and grow herbs for strewing and medicinal purposes. Few if any of the plans would have been grown for their aesthetic value.*
*From [...]
16 Comments CherryPie on Jan 29th 2019
Bayleaf is a timber-framed hall house dating mainly from the early fifteenth century. The garden is a re-creation of a late-medieval garden, laid out in blocks of beds.
Each plot, together with the access path, measures 2 x 1 perches (16.5 x 33ft); 16.5ft is the statutory rod, pole or perch. This is the measurement a [...]
12 Comments CherryPie on Jan 28th 2019
