Following in the Footsteps of an "Edwardian Lady" - Part 5 : Packwood House Gardens

Between 1880 and 1890 Edith Holden lived with her family at a house called Troutbeck in Darley Green. Packwood House was just a short walk away and the Holden children knew the Oakes family who lived at Packwood at the time and the Holdens often visited the gardens. Edith and her mother and sisters also often walked through Packwood House Park. Edith often mentioned visiting the Packwood area in "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" and "Nature Notes".

On the 7th July, 1906, she writes in The Country Diary that she was given a beautiful white water lily from the pool at Packwood House. There are several paintings of water lilies both white and yellow for the month of July in this book.

I decided to go along to Packwood House Gardens one afternoon last week to see if water lilies were still to be found.

Walking out of the car park the North Court can be seen.




Entrance to the House and Gardens



Flower borders surround the courtyard by the Reception and Shop



Entrance to the House






Entrance to the Carolean Garden








Garden Pond in the Sunken Garden with the Yew Garden in the distance



There were water lilies in this pool although pink rather than white!






There is a much larger pool in the parkland outside the walled garden and it could be that the water lily given to Edith came from this pool. I couldn't see any sign of water lilies and did plan to walk round to see if I could find any but, although I had left home in sunshine, by the time I arrived it had clouded over and rain was threatening in typical Summer 2012 fashion!!







I did manage at long last to find some Meadowsweet in flower as this species is often mentioned by Edith on her travels in June and July.



The Gardens and fish ponds at Packwood fascinated Edith as did the Yew Garden which is said to represent the Sermon on the Mount. She spent time here sketching accompanied by the sound of birds and hum of bees from the hives.





The Gardens at Packwood were looking particularly beautiful despite the lack of sunshine. This is the Yellow Border although there are flowers of other colours mixed in with the yellow blooms













Back in the Sunken Garden



The borders surrounding the pool were redeveloped in 2007 resulting in an exotic garden theme.











Borders leading up to the Raised Terrace Walk with the Yew Garden behind











Bays full of roses





The Raised Terrace Walk - probably my favourite part of the Garden









On my way out I bought one of these Rudbekia plants from the shop to plant in our herbaceous border at home.









Three quarters of an hour after my arrival the rain arrived! So I gave up plans to walk around the yew garden and parkland and sheltered for a while in a gazebo.

Rose Garden from the Gazebo




Sunken Garden with the house behind



A few photos of some of the sundials scattered around the House and Gardens







Leaving the Gardens






As a matter of interest "Richard II" recently shown as part of BBC Two's Shakespeare season was partly filmed at Packwood House and Gardens.

Reference:

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
The Country Diary Companion by Josephine Pool
The Edwardian Lady - The Story of Edith Holden Compiled by Ina Taylor