Visit to Forde Abbey-13 February 2010

[David Nicholson]

The weather has, to say the least, not been good of late and the Nicholson family have tailored their days out accordingly. Today rarely got above 3C but it was dry and we headed out to Forde Abbey having fist consumed a rather large brunch at a Farmshop along the way. Good cakes too Maggi but couldn't manage another thing after Sausage, bacon, eggs, black pudding, saute potatoes, grilled tomatoes, beans and mushrooms and a couple of rounds of toast!

The Abbey is situated between the small market towns of Chard and Crewkerne in South Somerset. Some say the Abbey is in Somerset, some say Dorset and others say Devon-so, take your pick.  Forde Abbey was originally a Cistercian monastery but fell into disuse after the dissolution of the monasteries around 1539 in the reign of Henry VIII. The buildings and land were later purchased from the Crown by a private owner and a succession of these resulted in the house and grounds as they stand today. Still in private ownership with the owners occupying a substantial part of the house and farming the estate, with the gardens, grounds and non-residential parts of the house open to the public. It's a pretty place and the gardens are perhaps at there best in mid to late summer when the perennial plantings comes into its own.

Limited array of planting at this time of year of course and not surprisingly Snowdrops were well to the fore. Now I suppose one drift of Snowdrops is very similar to another but I know that many friends overseas really can't see too many pics of Snowdrops in natural surroundings so these are for you.

The pictures:-

When we got to the top of our drive I wasn't certain I'd locked the front door so had to go back and look  (I wish)
Snowdrop drift
and again
and again
Snowdrop clump
Galanthus 'atkinsii'
Galanthus 'Magnet

[David Nicholson]

..... and more:-

early Camellia
Eranthis drift
Eranthis clump
Cyclamen coum
Heather bed
Hellebore

[David Nicholson]

and to finish three quirky ones:-

Haven't the faintest idea who this is.
A couple of horses who, having seen Mark's new avatar took flight and swam the lake!
A shelter made from beech trees.

[Paddy Tobin]

A nice day out, David.

Different to have you taking particular note of snowdrops.

Paddy

[TC]

Do they still do pick your own strawberries in Summer?  I can remember we visited here in June about 30 years ago when the kids went wild filling baskets of them between scoffing handfulls.  It was a toss up whether to weigh our baskets or my daughter when we came to pay !

[David Nicholson]

I'm not sure Tom, we usually go in spring and again in the late summer when the asters and dahlias are in full bloom but we don't go when the strawberries are in season. If they do run a PYO it will probably be in the extensive walled fruit and veg garden.

I have a minority interest in the little white flowers Paddy, in fact I'm in process of developing a little bed just for them.

[Lvandelft]

David, just catched up with your February trip to Forde Abbey, (not surprising, because I am not so much online as I would like 
But after admiring your pictures I noticed that there are more pics of the white stuff than expected.
Is there any reason for worrying?   
After all, in my mind you are more the man of colorful S. Africans or Primula’s etc

[Hristo]

Nice to see a traditional English garden in early spring, takes me back to family outings to Hodnet Hall Gardens in Shropshire.

[David Nicholson]

David, just catched up with your February trip to Forde Abbey, (not surprising, because I am not so much online as I would like 
But after admiring your pictures I noticed that there are more pics of the white stuff than expected.
Is there any reason for worrying?   
After all, in my mind you are more the man of colorful S. Africans or Primula’s etc

Not working full time again are you Luit?   There wasn't an awful lot to see,apart from a few Cyclamen coum, so I had to notice those little white flowers. Primulas are just beginning to get going (probably will not be ready for the South West AGS Show on 27 March) and nearly all my winter growing South African bulbs are looking really sick. Too much frost this year.

[Hristo]

David, one word, 'Windowsill' 

[David Nicholson]

I'm working on it!!!!!!

[Michael J Campbell]

I'm working on it!!!!!!

Divorce? 

[David Nicholson]

It'd make good headlines Michael I can see them now:-

"Devon based Yorkshireman celebrates ruby wedding anniversary and divorce in same week"