I left you during my last post on
Belsay Hall at the Grecian mansion. As we left here, we headed out into the gardens. These are Grade I listed, so we were expecting something beautiful.
Just outside the house are some beautiful beds surrounded by privet hedges with gravel paths with some very well tended shrubs. We chatted to one of the gardeners and you could tell he loved his job!
Again, Sir Charles Monck was responsible for shaping the landscape as it largely appears today, following a wild naturalistic look rather than a conventional landscape. He used the quarry on site for the stone to build the Hall and so what was left, became the quarry gardens.
It felt rather like entering the secret garden when we left the main gardens and headed into the quarry gardens.
We saw a great variety of plants and much as I hate mushrooms, I was intrigued to photograph these toadstools up close.
The rugged, towering walls of the quarry gardens were very impressive making one feel Lilliputian in size.
Sir Charles' grandson, Sir Arthur Middleton was also a pioneering gardener and he extended the quarry garden adding exotic plants and further spaces as well as planting a rhodedendrum garden, a winter garden, Yew tree garden and Magnolia Terrace.
I couldn't help but feel these trees reminded me of a Doctor Who monster-
the Silence
I love these gargantuan plants. I always call them 'Giant Rhubarb' but my Mum insists they are called something else, which currently slips my mind!
We really enjoyed the gardens but the most exciting part was soon to follow...
..The Medieval castle!!!!
More anon.
xx
LOVE the deep pinky red fuchsia - just planted one of them in my back garden! Great pictures. Don't suppose the gargantuan plant would be any good for a rhubarb crumble though!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos.... I was amazed at the scale and size of some of the plants. Jx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! You always visit such cool places and I love reading about them :) xx
ReplyDeleteAren't they called gunnera? Love the fact they grow to such huge proportions.
ReplyDeleteI can see exactly what you mean about the Silence. Only a few weeks until the start of the new series!!
Thanks for the reply regarding the craft stuff, I completely understand having just had a sort out myself, no worries at all, I will pass them on.
Lisa x
I love this series of photos, all of the flowers are beautiful and those giant plants are some of my favourites and I can never remember what they're called either! I first saw them at the Gardens of Heligan, with my parents. - Tasha
ReplyDeleteOh, we have giant rhubarb here in Vancouver too. I didn't know what to call it so I always have called it "that prehistoric big plant." Beautiful garden!
ReplyDeleteThe quarry gardens look fantastic! I would so enjoy exploring there. And yes, mushrooms are the devil but that shot of them was great. As for your request on an all-Buddy post, yes that is planned. It will be his top liked shots from Instagram whatever those may be. Probably after the next chapter of Revelations.
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely. I love 'giant rhubarb' too (it's really called gunnera!).
ReplyDeleteThose are called giant rhubarb, I saw them at Tatton Park. Hubby made fun of me because I love rhubarb and said I could make tons of pies and crumbles with a few of those giants ones :))
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, the place looks gorgeous, I would love to visit it.
I call it "Giant Hogweed" after the Genesis song...although I believe there is actually a giant hogweed plant, so it may not be that one. The tree is definitely "The Silence"-ish. Looking forward to the new series; sadly still not sure about Peter Capaldi as the Doctor though.
ReplyDeleteOh seeing these photos makes me want to go back. It's just like going into a secret garden isn't it! The quarry garden is quite unlike any garden I've been in. And I love the photo of the fuschias with the raindrops on them.
ReplyDeleteThese gardens are magical...I really ought to visit this one some day. I just love those big plants, they make one feel like one has stumbled into a fairy-tale.
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