Dewstow Gardens
Aug. 21st, 2008 09:08 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
llywela13.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scene_againI took a trip yesterday with a few members of my family to Dewstow Gardens in Monmouthshire. The gardens at Dewstow were created at the end of the 19th century, but were then filled in during the Second World War, given over to farming and food production to aid the war effort. A few years ago, the new owners started to diversify, setting up a golf course on their land - and in the process of the renovations discovered this incredible Victorian garden full of tunnels and underground grottoes, which they are working hard to restore.
To get into the north garden, you must first negotiate these stepping stones over the brook.
On the other side is the entrance to the first grotto.
Yep, that's ground level up there.
Follow the tunnels along, and you come out in what used to be a hothouse, partially restored to give an idea of what it must have looked like in its prime.
Swallows had nested at the base of one of the pillars at the far end.
Back into the tunnels. Again, that's ground level up there. Grotto beneath; garden above.
This is what the not-so-hothouse looks like from the outside.
The north garden - ground level.
South gardens - down into another grotto
Into the crocodile pit. Yeah, I have no idea why it's called that. There are no crocodiles. But it is a pit.
Even the old pumphouse is disguised as a grotto
The south gardens are full of all kinds of little nooks and crannies.
Soggy doggy - Ruby hasn't ever quite mastered the art of posing for the camera!
Since it was so wet, we decided not to stop in the village and wander around the Roman remains this time. If anyone's interested in seeing those Roman remains, the pictures I took last time can be found here. I think I took better pictures of the grottoes, as well - I should have just pointed everyone there rather than uploading more all over again. It was actually sunny that day! What a difference a year makes...
To get into the north garden, you must first negotiate these stepping stones over the brook.
On the other side is the entrance to the first grotto.
Yep, that's ground level up there.
Follow the tunnels along, and you come out in what used to be a hothouse, partially restored to give an idea of what it must have looked like in its prime.
Swallows had nested at the base of one of the pillars at the far end.
Back into the tunnels. Again, that's ground level up there. Grotto beneath; garden above.
This is what the not-so-hothouse looks like from the outside.
The north garden - ground level.
South gardens - down into another grotto
Into the crocodile pit. Yeah, I have no idea why it's called that. There are no crocodiles. But it is a pit.
Even the old pumphouse is disguised as a grotto
The south gardens are full of all kinds of little nooks and crannies.
Soggy doggy - Ruby hasn't ever quite mastered the art of posing for the camera!
Since it was so wet, we decided not to stop in the village and wander around the Roman remains this time. If anyone's interested in seeing those Roman remains, the pictures I took last time can be found here. I think I took better pictures of the grottoes, as well - I should have just pointed everyone there rather than uploading more all over again. It was actually sunny that day! What a difference a year makes...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-08-21 10:35 am (UTC)