Gallivanting!
A good time was had by all...
For the last two years I have been working for part of a University which has been involved with training teachers how to use computers. There were about 80 staff all over the country, a lively helpful group of people who have bonded together in a remarkable way. So this week-end was our last meeting before the project finally ends and we all move on to 'pastures new'. We have met together twice a year to receive training, but there were some incredibly talented people who set up an online group which is extremely vibrant and helpful. For once this was better than any real staff room!
The meeting was held at Danbury Park near Chelmsford, so the question was, where to visit on the journeys?
I chose Waddesdon Manor on the way down - just the gardens on this trip. What a scented paradise! It was lovely, a weeping silver lime was exotic, the kind of scent that had me sniffing the air to search out the source. On a smaller scale they had planted masses of heliotrope in the bedding out borders which wafts across the gardens. Wow! Top marks to the Rothschild's gardeners for that.
Waddesdon Manor

On the way home - Hatfield House, a place I have been promising to visit for many years. It is the house that Henry VIII imprisoned his daughters and has had an attraction for me since childhood. Not too strong, its taken me a long time to get there. However, it was worth it!!
Hatfield House

The house was beautiful, lovely warm brick colours with pennants flying overhead - just what you imagine it should look like. Inside the portraits - the famous pictures of Henry, Mary and Elizabeth. Seeing them made the history seem far more real, the guides knew their stuff and told interesting anecdotes. The gardens were planted sympathetically - mulberry, quince and medlar trees - with fruit, but I behaved for once, no scrumping this time! The herb garden was another sensory overload, with huge bushed of lemon verbena at the gateways into this part. Bliss!! At this point I want to be able to give you a link to a smelly vision site ... but this will have to do! ( Have a surreptitious squeeze next time you are visiting a garden centre just to give yourself that experience!!)
lemon verbena

I have to admit that I forgot to take my camera with me - so no photos, will try to remember it next time I go out of the house.