Road Trip 2014

Over the last few years, as a way of keeping our ideas fresh, we have been taking a summer tour of gardens that we find interesting. In past years we have visited France and Holland but this year we thought that we would see some of the fine gardens that our own country has to offer.

We travelled from London, diagonally across the country to Snowdonia at the furthest point visiting a string of great Gardens including:

Rousham,

Kiftsgate Court Gardens,

Hidcote,

Hampton Court,

Powis Castle,

Plas Brandanw,

Crug Farm Plants,

Trentham Estate,

Opposite is a picture of the walled garden at Rousham. It is a riot of colour which is emphasised by the lack of colour elsewhere in the garden.

The majority of the gardens at Rousham are completely green with a pared down palate of plants. Primarily Box and Laurel with Woodland trees and grass. This gives the place an exquisite sense of calm and serenity. The trail through the garden is dotted with beautiful buildings and features all designed by William Kent.

Throughout the garden one is drawn along from light into shadow and out into lighr again. Our favourite part was the rill which winds through the woodland to a bathing pool, bathed in light from an opening in the tree canopy.

I hope that this gives you a taste of Rousham and I will endeavour to do a blog for each of the gardens we visited over the coming weeks.