Summer is over. And today is a typical wet and windy fall day. My word it is a long time since I posted on this topic. We still have lots to see.
This part of our walk is all about the garden, so I will be tagging this one Flora and Fauna as well. And just to remind me, This walk was around June 1.
Stourhead Gardens are a mix of natural areas and plantings as you will see.Here are some lovely foxgloves. We found them growing apparently wild beneath the trees. Not that this might not be a deliberate planting.
In the background of the first picture you can also see one of the rhododendrons, a pretty orange colour.
The gardens are quiet. It is like going back in time. There are no engine noises or other mechanical sounds. Just the wind in the trees and this next creature is very happy about that too.
I don't know about you, but this to me looked like Peter Rabbit of Beatrix Potter fame. Look how close he let me get before he hopped off.I don't suppose he is the gardener's friend as rabbits tend to do quite a bit of damage. It is odd to see so many bunnies around England. When I was young they had just finished the myxomatosis program which did away with most of the rabbits (very cruelly as it turned out) and they were rarely seen, now they can be found nibbling along the verges of roads, and in meadows and fields every where you look.
Apparently, rabbits are not native to England, which may account for why they seem to over-run the countryside. They were brought in by the Romans and we then exported them to Australia.
What did history teach us?
The next sight to grace our vision on our walk was this wonderful tree. Clearly old. Clearly huge.
Now I am guessing a little here. I believe this is a Cedar of Lebanon. I am quite happy to be corrected.
What ever it is, the dark green needles stood out amongst the paler leaf greens of the other trees.
Our last tree is always a pleasure to see, because of its colouring. Red leaves among all the green.
There are lots of different red trees around the world but there is something quite stunning about the copper beech. And this one is set out in the middle of the lawn and shown off quite beautifully.
Well that is it for me for today. Lots of Stourhead to come.
Until next time, Happy Rambles.
What lovely pictures, Ann! When I visited England in 2001, I too noted the countryside was positively infested with rabbits. It struck me as odd they were tolerated around horses, which I saw frequently. The idea of all those rabbit holes and fragile fetlocks...it gives me the shivers.
ReplyDeleteJoanna Waugh
Joanna, yes indeed, and my guess is that rabbits might have been just as prolific in the 1800's, except they were probably hunted more since they would have made a great dinner. I actually enjoy a rabbit casserole, and I once ate jugged hare in a pub in London. Delicious.
ReplyDeletevery pretty pictures! (Apparently we didn't learn the rabbit lesson soon enough... I speak as one with Scotch broom overload in the U.S....)
ReplyDeleteKate, I didn't know that. Is it the same kind of broom that can be found all over the British Isles? I think I mentioned in an earlier post that rhododendruns are taking over the hillsides in Britain and are now seen as a nuisance.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about killer bees.
Oh, don't get me started. lol.