Gardens to visit

I have been enjoying a short break in the Cotswolds.

There was a touch of early Spring in the air.

Many large gardens in this area use the dramatic landscape to create stunning gardens.

Ravines form plunging waterfalls ,bordered by flower beds.

Sezincote is one such garden.

Snowdrops, hellebores and primroses make a lovely display.

In Chipping Camden there is a silk mill housing a silversmith.

The business was created during the Arts and Crafts Movement.

One of the people here comes from the original family.

Another artist was creating a brass wall plate after the style of William Morris.

So much can be gained by visiting gardens and craft workshops.

Why not give it a try.

I have been giving you ideas to take the stress out of the Christmas preparations.

Today I went to Chatsworth in Derbyshire.

This is where “ Capability” Brown designed the Landscape Garden.

Beautiful stretches of landscape are composed of larger areas of fields with well-placed trees.

A lake stretches from the house into the distance.

It is very relaxing on a mild day in December.

The Victorian greenhouses were used to produce exotic fruit for the dinning table.

There is a lot more to admire in the form of the water cascade and the various sculptures in and outside the house.

Of course we cannot garden on this scale.

Instead we can take a day off and visit houses such as these.

They are part of our heritage too.

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