Changing the world begins with the very personal process of changing yourself, the only place you can begin is where you are, and the only time you can begin is always now.
Gary Zukav
6 Comments CherryPie on May 31st 2021
Filed under Anecdotes, Faith Foundations, Gardens, Heritage, Out & About
Cholmondeley Castle Gardens…
…and Lilleshall Abbey
4 Comments CherryPie on May 30th 2021
… for fine dining on the patio
2 Comments CherryPie on May 29th 2021
I sat on a bench whilst it gently rained hoping to see the ducklings that were hiding on my recent visit to Leegomery pools. My patience paid off, I spotted them in the distance. When they decided on their swim direction I walked around the pool to meet them.
They are such bundles of joy (only one missing in action) I lingered for a while watching their antics.
Comments Off CherryPie on May 29th 2021
I have been a busy taxi service recently. One of my taxi adventures involved garden centres with my mum. She was tempted to purchase shoes in one of the franchises. Whilst there I noticed a range of comfy walking shoes.
I returned today to test the range shoes and found a perfect choice for everyday walking.
I tested them out on an afternoon walk – they are so comfy.
4 Comments CherryPie on May 28th 2021
Back in 2019 when the world was ‘normal’ we attended the Ludlow Food Festival and were tempted to buy a Kadai Fire Bowl. It was busy and Mr C didn’t want to wait to speak to someone to find out more. I picked up the literature for us to peruse at our leisure.
We didn’t get around to purchasing one in 2020, due to the on and off lockdowns and not being able to visit outlets that sold Kadai bowls.
A few weeks ago we decided to order online direct from the local company. We received our order more quickly than we expected and were looking forward to trying it out.
Queue non stop rain…
The lid to our Fire Bowl took on its rustic appearance a couple of days later, rather sooner than expected.
We are impatiently waiting for sunny days.
4 Comments CherryPie on May 27th 2021
There have been gardens on this site since 1622, when the original manor house was built by James Lewkenor. In 1804, when the current house was built, the gardens were enlarged and park was laid out, and the kitchen garden was moved to its present position and enclosed by walls.
Many of the existing mature beeches, limes, horse chestnuts, planes and cedars date from this period and the present layout owes much to their planting. In 1818, the garden was extended to the west and flint walls were added.
Frederick Bower, who acquired the Estate in 1871, continued to develop the gardens and opened them annually to the public. Twenty years later William James purchased the Estate and made many improvements to the garden, including rebuilding and extending the range of glasshouses in the walled kitchen garden, the construction of the magnificent pergola in the North Lawn, plus a considerable amount of planting and refurbishment, both in the grounds and the arboretum.
On his father’s death in 1912, Edward James inherited the estate. Best known for his patronage of artists including Dalí, Magritte, Tchelitchew, Fini and Carrington, in 1964 he established the Edward James Foundation, a charitable educational trust. Edward died in 1984 and is buried in St. Roche’s Arboretum.
The transformation of the gardens began after the storm of 1987. Since then, Gardens Manager Jim Buckland and Gardens Supervisor Sarah Wain have carried out a bold re-development programme designed to bring the nineteenth century gardens into the twenty-first century.
2 Comments CherryPie on May 27th 2021
