A Quintessentially English Landscape

[David Nicholson]

Paid a visit today to one of my favourite gardens at Barrington Court in Somerset. The house and it's garden are about ten miles from the capital city of Somerset, Taunton and are at the south eastern end of an a very low lying area of land known as the Somerset Levels (it was not too far away from the place where King Alfred allegedly burnt the cakes!).

The gardens at Barrington Court (a National Trust property) were originally laid out by Gertrude Jekyll and the house, it's gardens, the village of Barrington and the landscape around them strike me as being quintessentially English and especially so at this time of the year.

The village is largely constructed from a local honey coloured stone called Ham stone that positively shone in the sunlight and the odd thatched cottage really looked to be in place.

The gardens are laid out in a series of "rooms" many enclosed with red brick walls providing shelter, warmth, and a place to tie climbers and fan trained fruit.

Here are some pics, plants were largely unnamed, so regret their absence in the narrative.

The first is a general shot of the landscape looking forward from the front of the house.
The second and third (to the right hand side of the shot above) the village cricket field with match in progress and the score 104 for 4 (this will surely baffle some of the Americans amongst us-are you watching Arnold!!). The quintessentially English game.
The fourth to sixth a couple of Paeonias and a Poppy that took my eye.

[David Nicholson]

...... and more.

Three general shots of the borders. To put them in context: Irises although some were past their best there are a lot of irises throught the garden so always something worth stopping to look at closer. Hemerocallis were in full bloom-yet to flower in my own garden. Rhodos- were just going over. Roses- just coming into flower, another week or so and they will be sensational. Herbaceous stuff-well up but need another week or two to develop.

4: Wisteria a little past it's best but looked good nonetheless.
5: Ceanothus-a plant I've never taken to but full of bees.
6: a sample Hemerocallis (and yes, I have mis-spelled it in my picture file)
7: Clematis 'President'
8/9: just a couple of roses

[David Nicholson]

.... and to finish a sample of the Irises.

[ArnoldT]

I've actually watched my share of cricket matches in Trinidad while on duty for the US Soccer Federation.  We played our Confederation qualifying rounds there. We played many matches on cricket ovals that were converted to football.  Had a Mackeson    or two as well.

[David Nicholson]

Well done Arnold we'll have you in a bowler hat and rolled umbrella yet

[t00lie]

Quote -----" the capital city of Somerset, Taunton".

Very interesting Mr Nicholson   

Our oldest daughter Amy and her partner have just moved to Taunton for work and a lifestyle change after the big smoke of London--when i asked her recently how large is the place ,(Taunton),she replied "Aw Dad i don't know --- just a small town".

Cheers Dave.

[David Nicholson]

Dave, Taunton is small, population about 60K but then, we're a small country

and added later: I wrongly described Taunton as a city, it's a town but is the administrative centre of Somerset.

[Ragged Robin]

David, a lovely posting, thanks - I am enjoying everything quintessentially English at the moment and the Roses on the outbuilding in your photo are fabulous together with wonderful borders.  In the New forest the scene is similar with cricket on the green and ponies grazing and, of course, a strawberry cream tea (with clotted cream!)

[David Nicholson]

Robin, the roses throughout the garden will be much better in a weeks time. Glad you enjoyed the pics but of course I couldn't eat a Devon cream tea in Somerset