Sunday 6 May 2012

Great Chalfield Manor - Part I


Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you.... the SUN! 

After weeks of rain clouding the sky and my temper, the light returned to the West Country today. I dare guess that it was not only my soul that shrieked with delight, and for all the visitors at the annual plant sale at Great Chalfield Manor, this weather certainly was a welcome surprise.

Please click on the horizontal images in this post, to view the entire image 
(the right-hand side is somewhat "chopped" otherwise).

Great Chalfield Manor is a historic English country house, built in the 15th century. 
(Read more about Great Chalfield Manor herehere or here.)
The fact that it is just down the road from us and this is my first visit, 
is as surprising as it is scandalous!

(The black "dots" in the grass above are black tulips.)


The gardens are a mix of formal borders, lawns and shaped yew trees, 
and more informal areas, like this lovely wild flower meadow 
in the apple orchard at the back of the house.


This is a beautiful Medieval house with a high wow-factor, 
and the wisterias, rambling roses and other climbing beauties 
hugging its exterior, marry these ancient walls so, so well...




Some gardens just have that special little extra... 


... that thing which makes them a meditative, tranquil and soul-nurturing place to be...

h
... and would not life look rather lovely if contemplated from this bench? 


And what would an old English garden be without its lovely stone walls?


I  love the dual character of these gardens, for example here where we stand in a formal, 
"clean-shaven" spot, looking out into the orchard and the tall grass of the wild meadow.


And yes, I confess to having been a little snap-happy on this lovely sunny Sunday, 
so I have split the photos into two blog posts not to exhaust you...


But, for now, I wish you a lovely start to the new week 
and hope your paths take you through some wonderfully wild meadows!
Helena

23 comments:

  1. Lovely and gorgeous!

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  2. Så flotte hus og hager over på din side.Får en følelse av en annen tid...
    Ja det grønnes i Oslo om dagen også...
    klemklem

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  3. Lovely, lovely, lovely! :)
    Tack för ditt mail, söta fina du!
    Bara att titta in till din blogg och se dina underbara, ljuvliga bilder ger en ro i själen :)

    Hoppas solen skiner på dig extra mycket idag!
    Kram Jonna ♥

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  4. Vilken underbar plats! Just det lite vilda tilltalar mej mycket!
    Så otroligt skönt att ni äntligen fått lite sol! Det måste ha varit hemskt med allt regnande! Hoppas nu att vårvädret får torka upp allt vatten så att våren kan fortsätta!
    Tack för härliga bilder från denna ljuvliga trädgård!
    Kram
    Lisa

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  5. Husen, murarna och allt det gröna. Kan inte annat än att vilja resa till England.
    Njutningen är fulländad!

    Kram från Nette

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  6. Wowwww...what a lot of beautiful pictures today.......love from me happy week !!!...xxx..

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  7. beautiful impressions
    I wish you a good start into the new week
    ♥Doris

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  8. Last week during our stay in London, we have not seen the sun! It was so cold, it seems like winter!!

    Wonderful pictures Helena!! Many hugs, Ingrid

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  9. Underbara bilder..en ren njutning att kika in här..som vanligt!!

    Ha en fin start på den nya veckan!! Kram kram Sanne

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  10. Just my sort of place to relax and unwind. The photos are fabulous, I want to go there now, especially warmed up by the sun.

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  11. What a gorgeous place! I could easily imagine myself lying in this wonderful meadow. Ohh, and I could enjoy even more of those beautiful pictures without getting exhausted :o)... so move on :o).
    Have a sunny day.
    Alex

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  12. Beautiful garden photos ... I enjoyed a wonderful week dear greeting Rosita

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  13. Gleder meg alltid over å lese dine innlegg! Du bor i noen utrolig vakre omgivelser :) Prøver å overtale samboer til å bli med til England, men han ser ikke helt gleden i å fotografere og beundre gamle hus og hager! Så enn så lenge koser jeg meg veldig med dine bilder og fine tekster! Ha en god dag! :)

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  14. Wonderful photos !!! Přenádherný dům s kouzelnou zahradou - balzám na duši a potěcha pro oči!!! Srdečně zdravím. Maru

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  15. Lika fina bilder som alltid. Så skönt att solen tittat fram hos er igen!
    Kram Maria

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  16. What beautiful honeyed stone. An amazing building and such lovely pictures! Enjoy the sun while it lasts! Paula x

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  17. Så vackert..jättefin blogg den kommer jag att följa..:)

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  18. chatfield house has never been on my radar, will have to change that come september!
    yes helena, the contrasts thru-out the garden is perfect.......oh to be in england this time of year
    and a very happy week to you to!
    debra

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  19. Helena,
    I love your pics of the houses, castles, etc. I wish I could visit all those places!
    Keep up the good work!

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  20. What beautiful photos....i bet it was even more gorgeous in real life. Amanda

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  21. Great Chalfield Manor looks such a lovely old house, I'd love to visit it one day.

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  22. your photos are wonderful..Your house is wonderful!

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  23. It's amazing to find this (via Pinterest). I live in the cottage you can see behind the apple house in your first photo here! Through the big wooden gate in the wall. We often come through into the manor gardens in the evening (as estate tenants, we're allowed to go where we like)and it is indeed a beautiful place. Your photographs are lovely.

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