[identity profile] rosie55.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] scene_again
Some of you will no doubt remember that last year I went to Forde Abbey - a stately home and garden in Somerset, in fact I went a couple of times. Photographer's paradise, it was, in mid-summer. When last Saturday promised to be fine, we decided to go down to see what the gardens looked like at this time of year. It's usually a good time to see the skeleton of a garden which can be quite interesting and I may have heard they had some hellebores, just possibly...
The first thing my roving eye spotted as we got out of the car was a tree on the edge of the car park and on the river bank with a mixture of interesting lichens growing on it -    lichens are supposed only to thrive in clean air, so this must be a very airy place to live. Yes, I know, I photograph weird things!
The kitchen gardens looked very different this time - still immaculately kept - but bare. except that, unlike last year, there were no notices on the gates imploring visitors to keep the gates closed to keep the chickens out of the garden. In fact, the gates were propped open and there they were scratching blissfully about, , one of them appeared to be making a bid for escaping to Australia! .Such beautiful birds - this  was the cockerel   who was busy keeping his ladies in order. It's lovely to see fowl like this, able to follow their natural instincts and presumably helping the gardeners by consuming little grubs etc in the soil. The row of forcing pots you can see in the first picture was rather nice, - that first one looks as though it has been in use for a few years. Plenty of lovely fresh rhubarb under there, I would think.
We had lunch in the Refectory again - this was once a working  Abbey and some of the rooms still retain their monastical names - the refectory, the dorter, the cloisters. I love the vaulting of the roof in here, lovely soft colours in the stone.
And the light round this window was very soft. And I love this staircase disappearing up into nothing. The door at the top has been  blocked up long since but it would originally have led to the Monks' Dorter or sleeping quarters which you can still access within the house.  It's a beautiful demonstration of masonic skill, cantilevered off the wall, very elegant.
Out then, through the arched gateway,    to the gardens.  And our first glimpse of the crocus carpets for which Forde Abbey is famed. This was a small one, we found later.
And there, in the middle of it, a little splash of colour caught my eye. The first butterfly of the year - in mid-March. Lots of bees, too, of course. But a butterfly? Wow!
And, at the risk of repetition, looking back through the arch we just came through,   just because I like the sunlight and the shape of the topiary trees and yes, that is a chicken in the middle of the lawn there if you double click and look closely!
The water spout in the lake was going as we came round the corner of the house into the gardens proper, but it was switched off moments later and before we got close to it, so this  is the only picture we have of it this time! They only operate it a couple of times a day so that was just bad timing.
And here were the really big crocus displays! Thousands... 
and thousands...   and thousands    of them!

And yet again, this is turning into one of my long posts, so I had better split this into two and post this half - more soon!

Date: 2010-03-31 10:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cat63.livejournal.com
Lovely!

I relly must try and go there some time when we're not quite so busy with other things.

Love the chicken digging to Australia! And the butterfly - I hope it doesn't regret coming out so early, poor thing! The crocuses are lovely too - I wonder how many they originally planted?

Date: 2010-04-01 09:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] byslantedlight.livejournal.com
Oh I remember those hens! And those vaulting ceilings (gorgeous!) - and crocuses! (Crocii? *g*) It does look rather gorgeous down your way... Have you had any blossom on trees yet? I can't decide whether it's non-existant, or I'm just impatient about expecting it, this year!

Date: 2010-04-11 08:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mav-fan.livejournal.com
You do NOT photograph weird things! Lichen are a fantastic photo subject. I love the idea that before the garden gets really going they let the chickens roam around, eating bugs and...um...fertilizing the garden. The staircase is gorgeous, but I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed today for health and safety reasons, such a shame! Lovely flower pictures and YAY a butterfly!

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