The Jubilee weekend festivities caused some changes to the normal trip itinerary, but fortunately we were still able to visit the gardens at both Highgrove and Hidcote today. Highgrove has been the country home of Prince Charles since 1980; when he bought the estate it was nothing but pastureland. To view the 18 acres of gardens today (including wildflower meadows, formal gardens, kitchen gardens and informal groves) is quite amazing. What struck me even more is the personal family element to the gardens; Charles has been involved in the details of planning, planting and maintaining the gardens for 40 years, and one can easily imagine the grandchildren running down the paths to the treehouse to play. We also had a lovely high tea in the Orchid Room pavilion. For obvious reasons no photography is allowed, so I have included a photo from the guidebook instead.
Hidcote is in some ways similar, in that it was a sheep farm purchased by an American landscape enthusiast in 1907, who gradually designed and planted garden “rooms” of different themes over the next 40 years. Hidcote was the first garden property taken over by the National Trust in 1948.
On our drive between the two gardens we stopped in Cirencester, a town established by the Romans and important from medieval times to today. The cathedral-size Church (another one expanded with wool trade money) has beautiful stained glass and portions dating from the 11th to 16th centuries. The organ has over 3800 pipes! During the English Civil War, 1200 opponents to the King were imprisoned in the church; their mothers and wives broke the stained glass windows to throw food to them. Those windows are still clear glass today.
This will be the last post from this trip. Tomorrow is all travel back to New York.
Sorry the trip has to end. I enjoyed it!
ReplyDelete