I had a day out yesterday with a friend and we decided to go to Packwood House and wander round the gardens. I've only been once this year (back in January from memory).
The House itself dates back to Tudor times but was remodelled by Baron Ash in the 1920's and 1930's when he added rooms and converted a barn into the Great Hall.
We were going to have lunch first but the tearoom was packed with rather a long queue (Packwood does get very busy!) so we went to look at the Carolean Garden first.
One of the many sundials to be found around Packwood.
I think the pollinators had been busy on these Hollyhocks!
The Yellow Border which is crammed full of perennials in pink, yellow, lavender, carmine and scarlet following Loudon's "mingled" style.
The Sunken Garden
Sadly, I couldn't get a photo of the whole sunken area as there were too many people trying to take photos!
Does anyone know the name of this plant? I fell totally in love with it - it looks like a series of pots filled with miniature succulents and a flower climbing up a stem. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it before.
The Rose Bays
Flowers in Herbaceous beds in the centre of the garden.
The Terrace Walk - I think this will be at its best in about a week.
Looking towards the Yew Garden said to represent the Sermon on the Mount
A view of the Sunken Garden
The tearoom was now quieter - so I had an egg, cress and mayonnaise sandwich and a brownie - I was that hungry I forgot to take a photo!
Then a walk round the newly restored Kitchen Garden which was looking delightful and stuffed with flowers (as well as vegetables).
I wish I could remember the name of these flowers - I am sure my grandfather used to grow them.
National Trust gardens are normally buzzing and humming with insects but the low trend this summer of insect sightings continues. There were a few bumble and honey bees and hoverflies about but numbers were much lower than usual and I only saw one butterfly a Meadow Brown :( It is very worrying.
I bought a couple of plants home with me - a Rudbekia and a Lychnis cornonaria (looking forward to seeing the latter in flower as I really haven't a clue what it will look like!).
A lovely day out - thanks for the company J.
13 comments:
Another wonderful tour of a beautiful garden and excellent photos, I particularly like the mass of meadow flower colours.
Re your question as whether I use another blog for photos of visits away from Japara, I use Japara Ranging, which is listed on my Japara's Backyard blog. However I am well behind in doing posts of our trips, but am trying to get the photos sorted to do some posts.
Ian - Thanks so much Ian - the mass of colours was just beautiful :)
Thanks so much for the information re: Japara Ranging. I will add it to my blog list so when you get chance to get photos sorted I will see the posts - so look forward to that :)
It all looks so beautiful and colourful and it looks as thought you had a great day out. I have been to Packwood but the only thing I remember about it are the pointy yew hedges so it was great to see the flowers beds and borders. Glad you finally got some lunch. I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of butterflies I have seen this year and they have nearly all been meadow browns. It is very worrying:)
Rosie - Thanks very much Rosie. The yew garden is very memorable! The kitchen garden is a fairly new feature - its on the opposite side of the road to the house nearer the car park and new tearoom/visitor centre. I love it there but it is always horribly busy.
Might possibly go looking for butterflies soon at a wood we visit looking for Purple Emperor and usually it is full of butterflies - Whites, Silver Washed Fritillary, White Admiral and last year we saw Purple Hairstreak :) It will be interesting to see how they are faring there if I do get to go. There again weather is getting hotter (I don't like it hot and humid but butterflies do!!) so perhaps they will finally start appearing?
A lovely selection of photos from Packwood. The borders look beautiful with so much colour. I've been studying the photos closely to get some ideas for a couple of gaps in my garden at the moment! That is worrying about the lack of insects in a place like that, especially butterflies. I haven't seen that many butterflies in my garden this year and a fewer than usual out and about, although I have managed to see nearly all my favourites (except purple emperors - no luck this year again!)
Wendy Thanks so much - hope you were able to find some ideas for your gaps - one thing I love about NT gardens is the huge amount of perennials there!
I never managed to get down to South Warwickshire to look for grizzled and dingy skippers and Small Blue so have missed out on species this year :( Must try and get to Marsh Lane as they have Marbled Whites sometimes there. Sorry to hear about the lack of Purple Emperors - hoping to get to Oversley Wood to look again this year. I so wish we had got a better sighting of one butterfly last year as I was 99% sure it was PE but I needed to get a photo to confirm and failed :( I think you need to go to places like Fermyn and Knepp for a guaranteed sighting but they are a bit too far for me for a day :( Although the former would be possible perhaps?
I have enjoyed this post, thank you.
I hope you find the ID of the very interesting flower. Perhaps you'd find it on iSpot?
Toffeeapple - Thanks so much - so pleased you enjoyed.
Good idea re:i-spot - thank you :)
It all looks beautiful. The bright blue flower that looks salvia-ish is stunning.
What a gorgeous colourful place, somewhere I could happily spend hours! :)
Countryside Tales - Thanks very much CT - some lovely flowers there :)
Pam - Thanks Pam - the gardens there are a delight :) Some nice walks in the parkland too.
What a wonderful place, enjoyed looking through your photos, love the "Triangle" thingy with the pots in. Hoverflies have picked up over the last few warm days....
Amanda xx
Amanda Peters - Thanks Amanda - yes the triangle bug thing is good. One day I will persuade OH to help me make something similar. I saw an idea somewhere recently (Twitter??) about making one from an old bookcase!
More insects around here too but numbers still seem lower than usual :(
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