October: A Month of Pumpkin; Day 25, Pumpkins in the Park
Pumpkins in the Park, Quebec City, Canada
OK, Let’s get a head count here! I say two hundred and fifty pumpkins easily! The pumpkins go on and on!
Posts tagged ‘Travel’
More of the Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
We are still absorbing the Montana Garden; the garden chock full of hidden and secret places, all with a different theme.
The Montana Garden
Towards the back of the property is a small setting of unusual trees and an arbor that draws you to that area to have a look see. There were quite a few guests photographing the palm on the right!
The Montana Garden
Notice all the twirling and enchanting features in the trees? Look up, look down, look everywhere! However, my eye was focused on this tree! I loved it! I could just sit on that bench and talk to that tree!
The Montana Garden
This secret garden is covered in shade and filled with many types of ferns. A garden oasis of lush!
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
I felt I was on Survivor, looking for the Immunity Idol! Ah! There it is! Now, if I can hide it before anyone sees me!
The Montana Garden
This arbor provides a very peaceful and restful area in the Serenity Garden.
The Montana Garden
And here is another!
The Montana Garden
Every garden could use a Pooh Shed too!
The Pooh Shed at Montana House
The Montana Garden
And a reading area that can be moved around!
The Montana Garden
This piece was an attention getter too!
The Montana Garden
Another tree to talk too! My daughter always called them the crying trees. You know the weeping willow?
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
With one last look at the garden we’ll say our goodbyes to the gardeners, since we have one more stop in another garden before the day is over. We’re headed for Windmill Hill next! See you there!
JNW’S Halloween Challenge: Decorations
Window Boxes, Quebec City, Canada
The place to see absolutely the BEST Fall decorations is Quebec City, Canada! The shops, hotels, and local parks, go all out in decorating with the best of autumn arrangements and themes. Their Thanksgiving is early in the month of October so they are ready to bring on the cheer!
Have a spooktacular time with JNW’s Halloween Challenge! Enjoy!
The Montana Garden on the National Garden Scheme
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
People often ask me how I find the open gardens that I visit on the National Garden Scheme in the UK. There is a yearly book, Gardens To Visit on the National Garden Scheme, that I send for, that lists the gardens, the date they will be open and a small description of the garden with directions to get there. Then I look to see what gardens are in the vicinity to my lodgings on the dates that I will be there. Most gardens are open on Saturday and Sundays. There has always been more than one garden to see on the Saturdays and Sundays I was available. I LOVE the Group Openings! These are several gardens, in very close proximity that are featured together. Sometimes you may see seven or more gardens in a day depending on how much time you spend in each garden.
In the previous post I wrote about Cowbeech House, which was part of the Herstmonceux Parish Trail that featured four gardens. All gardens are well marked with several bright yellow balloons and a bright yellow sign as well. Most of the time you can tell you are close to a garden because of the number of cars parked in the lane. On this particular tour there were also balloons and signs posted at different turns on the narrow roads, because some of them looked more like farm lanes and could easily be missed, or as I often say, “are you sure we are on the right road, we are in the middle of nowhere!” But, the middle of nowhere has some very beautiful gardens!
After we left Cowbeech House we were yellow-balloon directed to a cottage called “Montana.” “Montana” wasn’t in my guide book as a garden on the Herstmonceux Parish Trail list of gardens. So here is the explanation why.
The gardeners at “Montana” travel a lot. For the National Garden Scheme, one must commit at least a year in advance to open their garden on a certain date. “Montana” had never opened their garden because they couldn’t commit so far in advance. This seemed like a real shame to one of their neighbors, because she felt their garden was a must-see. So when it came time for the garden tour and she realized the “Montana” gardeners would be home and available, she moved the sign from her garden to theirs!
So we are visiting “Montana” today and it is a first timer! Aren’t we lucky! Enjoy the garden!
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
These gardeners drew your eye up with many features hidden in trees and hanging on forlorn branches!
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
The Montana Garden
No garden is complete without a retreat! This garden was very deep and wide with many different gardens within the garden! There was so much to see at “Montana” I’ll show you more tomorrow!
Thursday Doors: More To See at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
The Grand Entrance to Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
We’re still at Windsor, so here are more doors!
This is about as close as you can get to the castle! Even the Queen has gardening chores! It would be a bit of a challenge to get in here! It’s quite a walk up the Queen’s driveway too! You are not going to make a fast get away!
The Queen’s Driveway, Windsor Castle, UK
Another Door at Windsor Castle, Windsor UK
Always lots of police around!
Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
In this picture you get an idea how big the doors actually are!
The Guards at Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
The Learning Center at Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
I wonder what you learn here? Maybe how to open those giant doors!
The #1 Door at Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
I wonder who number one is? I am sure this is not the Queen’s entrance! Maybe the #1 Housekeeper! Or maybe the #1 Guard!
The Queen Gets Her Own Lamps Too, Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
There is Windsor Castle and Windsor City! Let’s take a look over there!
Windsor City, UK
I hope that plug in the street can be lowered so the cars can get out or it is a long way to back up!
Windsor City, UK
The Sanctuary, Windsor, UK
There are the small cobbled streets and the big thoroughfare! And a PINK door!
Windsor City, UK
I hope you enjoyed our final walk around Windsor! See you next week!
This is just one of many photos in the Thursday Door Collection featured by Norm2.0! Won’t you join in or take a peak at all the doors?
JNW’S Halloween Challenge: Fall
Fall in Quebec, Canada
Have a spooktacular time with JNW’s Halloween Challenge! Enjoy!
Cowbeech House, Hailsham, East Sussex, UK
Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
The Entry to Cowbeech Estate, Hailsham, UK
The Patio Garden at the Hailsham Estate, UK
Where There is a Him There is a Her, Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
I love surprises don’t you? That is why I so look forward to the gardens on the National Garden Scheme in the UK! They are all so unique! The gardeners really shine at bringing out the best of their gardens and also their personal tastes and likes. Cowbeech House had many surprises! First of all, there was the car collection! Wow! And then we saw the sculpture collection in the garden that surrounded this beautiful country estate! Mr Cowbeech loved modern art also. So let’s take a walk in this great estate garden!
The Patio Garden at the Hailsham Estate, UK
The Patio Garden at the Hailsham Estate, UK
This is the butterfly garden guarded by the lions!
Art in the Garden, Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
Patio Garden at Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
Mr Cowbeech also liked cannons!
The Cannon Gazebo, Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
The Lawn at Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
The Vegetable Patch, Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
The Pond at Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
And a Very Big Mosquito, Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
Well this piece reminded me of a mosquito! But, I liked this little guy tucked into the bushes!
Sculpture at Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
Cowbeech House, Hailsham, UK
It’s clear to see Mr Cowbeech is a man of the world! As we say goodbye to Cowbeech House and move on to another garden I had to know, “what is a cowbeech?”
The name Cowbeech was first recorded in 1261 as Coppetebeche, referring to a ‘capped’ or pollarded Beech tree. This was then shortened over the years to Coppebeche, Cobbeach and then to the Cobeech, before becoming the modern Cowbeech. Ahh, that explains it!
See you tomorrow in the garden!
October: A Month of Pumpkins; Day 17, Pirate Pumpkins
Pirate Pumpkins, Quebec City, Canada
I like the Cannonball blue pumpkins the best!
There is More to a Garden Than Flowers
Bodle Street Green, Hailsham, UK
When I first suggested touring gardens as our plan for a vacation, many of my husband’s friends raised an eyebrow and gave my husband that “poor sod look.” I think he was skeptical that this could be the kind of vacation that he would enjoy too. But, to his surprise, last year he liked it! So we planned another tour of homes and gardens for this year. I think the big factor for him was; there is more to a garden than flowers………..
This year was no exception. Gardens are like a box of chocolates, “you never know what you’re going to get, until you get there.” Cowbeech House was on the list for our first garden visit on the National Garden Schemes this year. The gardens on the National Garden Scheme are local village gardens, with gardeners, who put their gardens on view, once or twice a year, usually on a Saturday and Sunday, to raise money for charity. The gardeners are available to answer questions and show any particular garden features. There is usually something unique about their gardens and that is why they are selected in the first place.
Cowbeech House, located in Cowbeech Village, was part of the Herstmonceux Parish Trail. On this day we saw quite a few gardens on this trail of tranquil settings.
I always enjoy the time and effort it takes just to find these small villages. They are definitely off the beaten path and many times all the time, we are the only Americans, and the villagers are quite surprised that we come “over the pond” to look at their gardens.
A tip here is….. always plan where you want to eat because the pubs are open only at certain times to serve food and……. preferably eat before you get to the first garden, because you will stay longer than you anticipate and may miss out on the scheduled times to eat! Also, this way your husband will not be starving and wanting you to get a move on!
So our pub meal was at the White Horse Inn, a rural free house on Bodie Street Green in Hailsham. We both had the Sunday Roast and I was so busy talking to the couple next to us about Brexit, that I didn’t get a picture of the delicious meal!
The White Horse Pub, Hailsham, UK
Which way to Go?
After our meal we moved on to Cowbeech House and paid our 5 pounds which would allow us entry into five gardens on the trail that day. Needless to say, we did not make it to all of them, but we loved the gardens we did see.
The first part of the garden tour at Cowbeech House was the garage, full of antique cars! Not any cars mind you, these Cars! The house sign was a give away to what was in store for us!
Cowbeech House, Herstmonceux Parish Trail
This is Mr Cowbeech, not his real name of course, but these lovely cars, garden and house belonged to him and he was quite proud of them! As he should be!
Mr Cowbeech at Cowbeech House
Three Rolls Royces!
Rolls Royce
Aston Martin, James Bond “Goldfinger”
1924 Bentley
1924 Bentley
1931 Auston Martin International
As you can see there was much interest in the garage before we ever got to the garden…… and not everything in the garden is flowers! See you tomorrow to show you the grounds of Cowbeech House!
Art In the Potting Shed Garden, Benenden, UK, Post Four
A Garden Gate at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Well let’s go through this extraordinary garden at the Potting Shed once last time! First go through another garden gate. Charlotte has made gates into an art form, that’s for sure!
Another Outdoor Eating Area at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
In the Garden, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
In the Garden, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
And Through Another Gate, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Into the Vegetable Garden at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Art Throughout the Garden at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Art Throughout the Garden at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Look up, look down, we don’t want to miss a thing! And then into the Cutting Flower Garden!
Into the Cutting Flower Garden at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Through the arbor!
Through the Arbor, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
We must stop by and see the turtles!
The Turtle Pen, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
And the turtles up close!
The Turtles
Through another gate!
Through Another Gate at the Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Onward to the bee keeps.
The Bee Keeps at The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
And then to the Artist’s Retreat!
An Artist’s Retreat, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Through another gate!
The Last Gate, The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
To the last Retreat!
Another Artist’s Retreat,The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
Don’t throw away anything! Charlotte has re-cycled everything in her garden from thrown away treasures! See what you can do with them? Old gates, old doors, old odd windows here and there! Save the fallen branches too!
The Artist’s Retreat,The Potting Shed, Benenden, UK
You can see what an unusual gardening experience this is! It was an absolutely charming and very restful garden and lodging to come back to at the end of a touring day!
Don and Charlotte at the Potting Shed, can be reached Here.
PS…. I took photos of Don and Charlotte, and you can see why this garden is so magical, just by the look of them! But…….. they requested their photos not be published on the blog…….so I am honoring their request!
Tomorrow we’ll be touring a garden on the National Garden Scheme! See you there!
The Travel Lady In Her Shoes 