Wednesday 31 May 2017

The Promenade At Grange



We recently visited the seaside town of Grange-Over-Sands in Cumbria and decided to take a walk along its famous promenade. The promenade carries an aura of Victorian England and is a traffic free zone, so it's lovely for children and walking the dog, and it's very wheelchair and disabled friendly. There is also a tea garden serving light snacks and of course delicious scones and afternoon tea. We've walked this promenade often before, but it doesn't take long to be reminded what a surprisingly beautiful walk this is. 


Flanked by the stunning scenery of the Kent Estuary and Morecambe Bay with its boar tide, sinking sands and saltmarshes on the one side and glorious rockeries and gardens on the other, there's a lot to stop and take in. It's a myriad of favourite garden plants to stop and admire, together with breathtaking views and a haven for birdwatching and wildlife. There is also the train station with trains running regularly behind the gardens, pitch and put, bowling greens and play facilities for children of every age. 

On one end of the prom is the old and disused lido - the town has now been given funding to refurbish this area and under consultation with the public to be make it into another more useable area and point of interest for the community. At the opposite end of the prom, there are more beautiful and ornamental gardens with lakes, ponds and wildlife that can be accessed. 

Parking is available next to the prom and once you've explored and enjoyed a cream tea, there's some interesting shops in the town to have a browse around. When you return to your car by the prom and if you've been inspired by the gardens, there's a pretty little garden centre there, where you can pick up a few plants as a reminder of your visit...


Bursts of valerian give bright interludes along the way


Foxgloves and geranium plants were coming into bloom with vivid blue forget-me-nots still going strong a d interspersed amongst the planting. 



Alliums and aquilegas giving the borders a bold look with strong accents of purples 


Simple sculptures added interest amongst the planting of geums, aquilega and alliums


Vibrant and large rock roses loom over, heavy in flower, enjoying the sunny banks


Geraniums, pinks and irises - all a jumble


Stunning yellow and pale blue irises with daisies and chives in the foreground


The pure beauty of a rock rose


The pink spires of veronica 


Elegant bearded irises


Looking out over the bay


Hawthorn in flower and looking across to Grange



Wednesday 24 May 2017

May Time at Levens Hall

We recently visited the gardens at Levens Hall. It's another one of those places where I like to visit each season, as there's always plenty of flowers and plants and things of interest to see whatever the time of year. There's always birdsong in these beautiful gardens too and I think May must be the most harmonious month to hear it and watch the birds swooping between the stunning topiary trees and flower and shrub displays. 

Levens Hall and its estate is situated near the village of Levens in South Cumbria - the gateway to the Lake District. You can enjoy a visit to the house, a stunning walk in the Levens Deer Park, a visit to the shop or Bellingham Buttery Tea Room or a browse around the gorgeous world renowned topiary gardens. The topiary gardens make Levens a unique place to be and some of the topiary trees are over three hundred years old. It is a world renowned topiary garden being the oldest and most extensive. 

Here are just a few of the plants we spotted: glorious banks of winter pansies displaying their finest before they finish for summer; wisteria tumbling over and across walls, as always the stunning topiary trees and shrubs, beautiful and vibrant displays of pink double daisies, blue and white hibiscus shrubs and weigelias, irises in purples, blues and yellows, geranium Johnsons Blue, wild garlic and cow parsley by the river. 

I'm looking forward to visiting again very soon...




















Wednesday 17 May 2017

Jordans Mill

We recently visited Jordans Mill near Biggleswade. The mill is a food heritage attraction situated on the banks of the River Ivel and amongst beautiful grounds. You can explore the historic Victorian mill and enjoy guided tours that take you through time and shows you the milling machinery used. 

The mill gardens are stunning with crops of various cereals, fruits and vegetables growing alongside ornamental flowers and plants. There are also meadow areas and woodlands to explore and enjoy and when you've finished all that the cafe is open for a refreshing cuppa. The cafe has a large open terrace overlooking the mill and the river and has beautiful views. It serves food and drink daily. There's also a mill shop where you can purchase Jordans breakfast cereals, flour and baking ingredients. 

Take a look at the pictures and see what's in bloom in the garden in May. We spotted sweet peas beginning to flower, forget-me-nots, pansies, alliums, amsonia and dianthus blooming amongst beds of wild areas, ornamental grasses, fruit and vegetable patches and an apple orchard. A 'cereal safari' is marked around the garden too, as there are banks of various cereals such as rye, barley and oats, set amongst the gardens. 

It will be interesting to visit the garden again soon to see how it changes and what is in flower in summer.