Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
A few years ago, my sweetheart and I called in at Little Sparta, Ian Hamilton Finlay’s house and garden, where many artworks are displayed. It was just a quick visit, but Little Sparta lingers with you, drawing your mind back to play with the ideas there.
One of the things it taught me, looking back, is to loosen up my ideas when it comes to what things go together. Continue reading “Mixed Architectural Materials”
Last year I shared pictures of the courtyard garden at Cothay Manor. This post is take two, about the rest of the garden. I’m skimping on the words this time around, and concentrating on the pictures. Continue reading “Cothay Manor Garden”
Most pictures you’ll find online of the Church Of Our Lady Before Týn in Old Town Square, Prague, show its impressive facade straight on, often as if the camera was disembodied, floating above the square. This is a more intimate, human perspective looking up at one of the towers from the ground behind. Bare winter branches accentuate the Gothic style of the tower. Continue reading “Church Of Our Lady Before Týn, Prague”
One of the nicest things about blogging is the ability to share a peek into a magical place. I’d not be surprised to hear that even some of the people who have visited Cothay Manor have left without experiencing the courtyard garden. I happened upon it as if by mistake on my second or third circuit of the garden. It seemed such an intimate space that I asked the lady quietly gardening there whether visitors were welcome.
She assured me I was welcome and we talked a little about roses. The walls of the manor are clothed with roses and other vines, including Rosa mutabilis trained as a magnificent climber which I had not seen done before. We’d missed seeing most of the roses in full flower, but there was plenty more to admire. Continue reading “Cothay Manor’s Courtyard Garden”
I loved the muted colours and overall mood of this traditional entrance at Howick Hall. The door furniture has the lovely patina of age and use, but seems almost dwarfed by its setting, helping to give a sense of the scale of the doorway.
This classic example of Tudor-style black and white timber and plaster designs seemed a good choice for Becky’s October Squares as this month’s theme is Lines&Squares. Continue reading “Turton Tower, Lancashire”
