Eaton Hall Estate - a perfect, private paradise

 Sunday 29th August –heavy rain showers in the morning gradually cleared to leave an unexpectedly sunny but blustery afternoon. After the summer we’ve had I will not waste a single ray of sunshine by sitting indoors. The children, however, take ever more convincing that a trip to yet another garden is going to be a fun day out. The promise of ice cream usually works and I have been known to embellish the truth somewhat: “Sam - this one has a dragon garden!” – “What, with real dragons? Like kimodo dragons?” – “I don’t know – there might be...”

Even though we didn’t spot any real dragons on our visit to Eaton Hall Estate, we will remember it as one of the more unusual gardens. I am still scratching my head over quite how to summarise it in a few hundred words. This 11,000 acre estate lies just a few miles outside Chester and is owned by the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. The gardens are only opened to the public on three days each year and I was very thankful that I had marked the last open day in 2010 on a spreadsheet of gardens to visit. A quick look at the web site was enough to intrigue me – a French style chateau and the promise of several different style gardens. Right from the car park it felt very different to a trip to Tatton. Smartly dressed young RAF cadets shepherded cars into neat rows and a very polite chap took our money, rounding it down to £10, thus giving free entry for the kids. As we always take all morning to get ready to go out it was well past lunch time by this point and we headed straight for the refreshments. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes were served in the covered courtyard adjacent to a magnificent collection of horse drawn carriages. The courtyard was buzzing with visitors and dogs - we had left Daisy at home guessing she would be unwelcome and I was feeling very guilty as we spotted yet another boxer dog.

Having browsed through (and purchased) a book about the gardens I was keen to get going and we headed into the walled kitchen garden where it was evident that the household still very much relies on its abundant produce. It was here that it became apparent that these are gardens where design and form reign – nothing is allowed to stray outside of a precise plan. The branches of fruit trees have been carefully trained horizontally and vertically and every area is precisely delineated. This theme of perfection and formality continues throughout the gardens, even the vast lawns stretching away down to the lake are mown in stripes. Box hedges look as if they would pass any spirit level test and loungers and parasols stand in perfect symmetry by the family swimming pool. The pool is a stark reminder that this is someone’s home. Abigail and Sam couldn’t get their heads around that: “People actually live here?!” We weren’t sure whether to be dark green with envy or just glad that we had the chance to ogle and explore such a private and splendid garden. It’s easier to live with the latter – we would have to go back to our little house and garden at the end of the day after all. We also assumed that the policemen and women strolling around the gardens weren’t just enjoying an afternoon out – another clue that someone important lives here.

As ever my initially reluctant children were soon running ahead of us, keen to get to the next garden or pool before we did. Running up and down stone steps, along pathways, across grass, sitting on giant stone balls, posing next to statues of knights and dogs, hiding behind hedges and jumping out, but best of all dashing through the spray from the fountains as it blew sideways across the grass. Who needs kimodo dragons to keep their interest?! And there was plenty to keep Nic and I interested too. The Lioness and Kudu statue in the oval pond is stunning and fantastic to photograph, with the dark blue water of the brimming pond contrasting with the green grass.

The most photographed part of the gardens must be the Dragon Garden, with the French chateau style house and the clock tower in the background. The dragon statue in the pond and that of an ibis are beautiful, but it is the design of the formal garden and its gorgeous purple, white and green planting scheme, with the house as a backdrop that make it so special. And have I mentioned that it was a glorious afternoon with blue skies and the occasional fluffy cloud? Photographer’s heaven! To mention the lake, the rose garden, the flower borders and the wild flower garden would run the risk of turning this from a blog into a full blown guide book. But I can’t leave out the tea house garden – well the tea house itself really as the gardens were probably at their best earlier in the summer. I could easily imagine myself sitting on the veranda of this black and white building, watching the dappled light playing across the chequered stone floor and sipping tea (or something stronger, as apparently the windows are decorated with glass circles from bottles!). The kids also enjoyed watching light playing across the teahouse, as there was a modern art installation creating arcs and cubes inside the teahouse.

Although the gardens themselves are very formal the atmosphere and mood was very relaxed and people were extremely friendly, from the man who let us off £2 off the entry fee, to the lady who allowed us to eat our own sandwiches in the refreshment hall (we did buy tea and cakes too!). The brass band in front of the Parrot House (no parrots in sight either – sorry, Sam!) played well known and not at all stuffy tunes – we sat on the grass in the sunshine and listened to a theme from a Bond movie. We were reluctant to leave at the end of the afternoon as the sun was still warm, but the Eaton Estate was closing its enormous black and gold gates to the public until next spring. What I wouldn’t give to see the gardens in the autumn, partly for the colours and light, but also to see the neat pathways and lawns strewn with leaves and mussed up just a little!

Bluebell Cottage Gardens

 I don’t think a lot of people realise just how many beautiful gardens lie hidden around the Cheshire countryside. I often mention to friends that I have visited a particular garden and nine times out of ten they are oblivious to its existence, even when it lies only a few miles away. Occasionally someone will claim to “have seen the signpost” but have never diverted from their route to investigate. I am shocked at their “ignorance” and try to persuade them to go and have a look. I want to convince them that they are missing out on a lovely experience. Unsurprisingly I haven’t had many converts – my strange enthusiasm probably scares them off, but more than that I think I am guilty of forgetting everything my years in marketing have taught me about target markets. The majority of my friends just simply don’t seem to be the primary target consumers for gardens. When I visit gardens, particularly the less commercialised ones, I usually encounter lots of retired couples who are spending their well deserved leisure time strolling around, looking for inspiration for their own gardens, or just simply enjoying being there, in the fresh air, surrounded by nature’s bounty. The exceptions to this would be people like myself who are mad about garden and flower photography, and any keen young gardeners.


Bluebell Cottage Gardens is a beautiful garden that I have visited many times and feel everyone should know about. It’s a great “starter” garden if you’re a virgin garden visitor. It’s small enough to go round in half an hour and can be tied in with visits to other nearby attractions. It falls into the category of a smaller, non-commercialised garden although it does have a lovely, well stocked nursery – Lodge Lane Nursery – from which you can buy some of the plants you’ve seen in the garden and you will often find Sue Beesley, the owner, on hand to answer any questions you might have. You can’t miss Sue on account of her battered and well worn leather wide brimmed hat – I’m not sure I would recognise her without it!

I have been to the gardens several times over the last three years, both as a visitor and in a professional capacity and have had the pleasure of seeing it in different stages of maturity. I love seeing it in the springtime, partly for the bluebell woods (see earlier blog,) but also because it looks all neat – like a fresh short hair cut on my son – and you just know that it’s waiting to burst forth at the first sign of warm sunshine. I am always struck by the marked contrast when I visit later in the middle of summer, as I did on Sunday. The crisp, neat edges of the flower beds are softened and hidden in a profusion of colour and texture. Grasses which were just a few inches high now bob gracefully in the breeze at waist height and the trees in the orchard are laden with plums and apples. This year Sue has sown wildflower seeds beneath the trees and the effect is wonderful as you look up or down the gardens through the orchards.

I particularly like the fact that despite its relatively small size, there still feels like there’s a lot to explore and see. On Sunday I went to the gardens with my niece, great nephew (doesn’t that make me sound and feel old!) and daughter. Abigail loved walking across the lawns, holding hands with Joe Jack and leading him through into the different areas. They spent a lot of time rolling around on the grass and trying out all the different seats around the garden. I was left free to watch them from a distance and get some lovely portraits of them. It’s when I look at the photographs later that I wonder why more “non-core” target consumers don’t know what they are missing out on! Surely playing and exploring in such beautiful surroundings would appeal to almost anyone? There’s the added bonus that it’s a really cheap day out and there are usually tea rooms too! At the weekends you can partake in home baked cakes, locally made ice cream and of course a pot of tea in the basic but charming tea rooms at Bluebell Cottage Gardens. It’s a refreshing alternative to a soft play centre or MacDonalds and yet I bet the kids would have just as much fun, if not more!

A really secret garden

You could easily fail to spot Walkden Gardens right towards the bottom of the list on the Cheshire Garden's web site and, equally, you might drive or walk straight past it on your way through Sale. Indeed many locals are probably unaware that there is a secret oasis right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of a busy suburb of Manchester. I was purposefully looking for a garden to visit in the vicinity of Altrincham where I was working in the morning and Walkden Garden's own website promised "a beautiful and peaceful hideaway" and "a magical place". I met up with the rest of my little clan in the FREE(!) car park and we entered the gardens (which are also free to visit!), drawn immediately to the fairytale-like dovecote, originally built around 1840 and a now a grade II listed building. Wild roses climb the red brick walls and it was a wonderful spot in which to take a lovely photograph of Abigail, proudly wearing her new maxi dress. At the end of this blog I explain how I shot this. You can sit awhile and admire the dovecote from a bench built into a drystone wall in a modern curving wave form - the first sign for me that these gardens have been thoughtfully developed by people who care about design and natural materials and who want visitors to really enjoy their surroundings.

From the dovecote you walk towards the very striking Compass Point, made from granite and sandstone, with pebble mosaics and ceramic edgings. The compass marks the heart of the gardens and points towards the different areas, from the Woodland Walk, the Field of Hope, Japan, the Theatre Lawn, Wisteria Arch, The Raft Birch Walk and the Dovecote. Again this is a beautifully designed and crafted feature, that speaks of a team of dedicated supporters. From the compass you can explore the intersecting gardens, all very different to one another. Lawned walks edged with flowerbeds and clipped neat hedges dissect the centre of the garden and beg to be explored and run along. "Doorways" through the hedges lead to amongst others, the fuchsia garden the theatre lawn, the mini arboretum and - a real treat - the Japanese garden. We were constantly surprised and pleased by what lay around each corner, at the end of a path, through a gap in a hedge. The laburnum arch must be breathtaking when it's in flower, but the kids enjoyed running through the dark leafy tunnel it creates now. In fact they loved exploring everywhere, dashing through the maze, climbing walls, posing on rocks, tumbling across lawns, running through the meadows and woodland and cartwheeling across the compass.

The gardens are impeccably maintained and lovingly tended - there wasn't a single piece of litter, no signs with DOs and DON'Ts, just discreet litter bins and the freedom to enjoy and relax in beautiful surroundings. We only saw a handful of fellow appreciators, strolling slowly around, despite it being a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon.

The main challenge I think I'm going to face is not getting around all of Cheshire's Gardens of Distinction, but resisting the urge to return to the same ones time and again. I already want to see the Japanese Garden in the autumn when the acers be will fiery red and purple and the idea of a summer's evening spent on the Theatre Lawn watching an al fresco performance whilst sipping Pimms is very, very appealing.
 
The gardens provide the ideal location for a photo shoot and Abigail enjoyed being my model. In order to get the above shot I asked her to lean against the wall - a great way to get people to relax and not look awkward - and I made sure that from where I stood the climbing white rose would edge the left side and bottom of the shot. I then zoomed in and focused on Abigail, ensuring that she would be clear and sharp, but the roses in front of her and the background behind would be soft focus. I also checked that she was in shade rather than direct sunlight. The resulting portrait is evenly lit, nicely composed, realxed and romantic.

Welcome to Dunge Valley - I think...

Last time we visited Dunge Valley Hidden Gardens near Kettleshulme it was on a cold, bleak and windy Mothering Sunday, so it was quite apt that the next visit should be on a warm and sunny Father's Day. So much more welcoming - or so you would think! First stop was the loo - Abigail emerged from it and insisted that I accompany her back inside to read the sign. I was somewhat baffled until I saw the piece of paper stuck above the sink, with the words "Because some idiots..." printed in capital letters at the top. We laughed about this and sympathised with the £350 cost of unblocking the drains because of said idiots. However, this turned out to be just the first in a series of very bluntly worded and belligerent notices around the garden, demanding that we MUST have a ticket, keep to the right, don't have picnics, continue straight through if we are hikers and informing us that there would be "NO DISCOUNT!". I met a very nice couple who were also bemused by the nature of all the notices and we all agreed that somehow they added to the charm and personality of the gardens. We envisaged a Victor Meldrew type who lived for his gardening and very begrudgingly opened his gates to the great unwashed.

And we are so glad that he does! From the manicured lawn in front of the house narrow paths lead off steeply to the Rhodendron Dell, the Woodland and the Waterfall. Visitors can choose to go around following the numbered system or just explore and see where the paths take them (although I was a little nervous, expecting someone to jump out and berate me for missing out number 12 and going the wrong way through the dell! It was a hide and seek paradise for the kids as they could get a little lost but still be within shouting distance. As you climb upwards, away from the house the steep wooded sides of the valley are lush with ferns and late flowering rhododendrons and azaleas. A stream runs through the valley with occasional short cascades, so there's a constant sound of water, not to mention the bird song. I can't identify any bird calls but can foresee the inevitability of evolving from keen visitor and photographer of gardens to twitcher as time goes by. Do twitchers tweet?
Anyhow, I digress. The view from the top of the garden down the narrow valley and back to the house was breathtaking and you can understand why the owner guards this slice of Eden so jealously and probably would like it to remain Hidden.

Danger - crocodiles!

Very very busy at the moment but it was too good an opportunity to miss when Nic suggested we nip out to another garden for a couple of hours this afternoon. My pangs of guilt quickly faded as we drove through the Cheshire countryside, air-con and sunglasses on and dog in the boot. I had selected Stonyford Cottage Gardens from the Cheshire Gardens of Distinction leaflet, as it was only a few miles away and quite small (in comparison to, say, Tatton Gardens). We had driven past the brown tourist sign pointing off the A556 many times but had never realised what a beautiful garden lay hidden down a quite unremarkable lane.

The car park gives onto a small grassy area with a few trees (perfect for providing shade for a dog) through which could be glimpsed the brand new timber tea room and patio area. We had come prepared with flask and sandwiches but I could have forced myself into tea and a slice of cake! We paid our £3 entry fee and received a very friendly and informative welcome. The garden is quite quirky and it is obvious that its character has been passionately developed by the owners. It really came home to us how much work goes into creating a garden when we were shown an area which represented what the land was like before work started.

I was really struck with the feeling of being miles from anywhere in this garden, despite the occasional noise of passing cars and trains. A small lake lies at the centre of the garden, with an island reached by wooden bridges. The transition from “mainland” to island is almost un-noticeable and the wooden bridges and walkways linking both provide pleasing curves and contrast beautifully with the plants. So much variety is packed into such a small area. The island is quite untended beyond the immediate vicinity of the paths and the feeling of being in wetlands such as the Everglades is reinforced by the signs warning us about crocodiles! The odd gem of a plant such as the extraordinarily vivid blue Himalayan poppy surprised us as we wandered along the paths through the trees. The rest of the garden is more structured and carefully planted. Purple Candelabra Primulas edge many of the pathways, particularly pleasing against the wooden boardwalks. Grasses, ferns, shrubs and trees provide lots of colour and texture and I can’t wait to see the masses of irises when they come into flower. We sat at the top of the garden on a bench looking across the lake, with the musical sound of water running down through the rockery to our left. Nic was quite happy to sit there awhile with his book and coffee whilst I roamed around with my camera. I also took the time to sit down and just soak up the atmosphere and sunshine and again felt as if we were far away from home and day to day worries.

But all good things have to come to an end and we wandered back along to the nursery at the entrance to the garden. Hens pecking around on the ground and drinking from a small fountain reinforced the informal and home grown feel. We retrieved Daisy from her shady spot under the trees and dragged ourselves away. But we'll be back as I have a feeling those irises will be stunning in a few weeks time and it'll be hard not to pop in when I'm passing by - and I'll definitely sample the tea and cakes next time!

Jodrell Bank Arboretum

We've been to Jodrell Bank Visitors Centre several times but never to the arboretum. If you don't know about it you could park the car and rush off to admire the staggeringly immense dish, without ever realising that the site also has 35 acres of woodland with over 2000 species of trees. The word arboretum conjures up a vision of an area fairly heavily populated with interesting trees – Jodrell Bank offers this but within much larger grounds and having more green, open spaces than I imagined. The entrance is deceiving – you feel as if you are entering a small woodland, following a path which has several opportunities to explore alternative grassy paths. But suddenly (in the vicinity of Neptune!) you emerge from the trees into a wide open grassy area broken up and edged by trees. I’m no expert and would not like to start trying to identify any of the different species, but the overall impression is of a wide variety of trees, carefully planted to lead the eye and provide contrasting textures, colours and heights. Ornamental crab apple trees are a speciality of the Arboretum, as are cherry trees and there were some wonderful displays of blossom. Another sign of spring was provided by the seven ducklings darting about after their mother on the pond (with me chasing after them on the bank).

I was taken aback several times as I turned to look at the view behind me, back towards the entrance and the Lovell Radio Telescope (the dish!) dwarfed even the tallest of poplars. In the photograph at the top you can get a sense of scale from the wooden bench in the middle towards the bottom.

A visit just to Jodrell Bank Visitors Centre and the awesome telescope is a fascinating day out, but the Arboretum really finishes the day off. It’s an opportunity to get some fresh air and exercise as you walk through woodland, across grassy meadows, always surrounded by the colours, sounds and fragrances of nature. Children will love the Environmental Discovery Centre at the start of the trail, which tells them about the trees and wildlife they can expect to find. They can also become mini space explorers as they discover the planets in our solar system which are laid out in their correct positions along the Planet Path that starts by the telescope. If that isn’t enough to wear them out, they can swing like monkeys on the play area whilst the grownups take a break at the picnic tables (in warm sunshine like we did yesterday – hard to believe when I had to get hat and gloves on to walk the dog today!).

My one small gripe is that dogs weren’t allowed in the Arboretum. I completely support no dog policies in gardens where there are carefully tended flower beds and perfectly manicured lawns, but Daisy would have loved the woodland paths and the open spaces. We are responsible dog owners and would have kept her on a lead and picked up after her. I have to wonder what harm it could do to allow four legged friends to enjoy the Arboretum as well. We had to tie her up outside the car (it was slightly too warm at times to leave her inside) and then worry about her when she barked occasionally. However, that said, we all really enjoyed our visit and I look forward to returning again, perhaps in the Autumn (minus dog).

Bluebell Cottage Gardens

I have to profess a strong bias towards this garden as I've got to know the owner, Sue Beesley, quite well and some of my photographs are on display in the tea rooms. I've taken lots of pictures over the last three years but I won't cheat - it will be treated just like all the other gardens and photographed this Summer once again. Today's visit was purely to the bluebell woods adjacent to Sue's garden. The bluebells have flowered late this year and I wanted to get them at their best. With the weather looking like it all goes down hill after today I thought I would make the most of a postponed job and some lovely Spring sunshine (typical that it wasn't like this during yesterday's bank holiday).

The bluebell wood is accessed by a path across a field by the carpark. This field becomes a wild flower meadow in early Summer and there are already signs of the pleasures to come, with little yellow buds visible through the grass. The garden and nursery are closed on Monday and Tuesday so I was completely alone in the woods, apart from the sound of boat owners calling to each other as they drifted along the nearby canal. I could just see their heads over the hedges as they floated past - I wonder what they made of me lying face down amongst the bluebells!

It's not that easy to get good pictures of bluebells, well I don't think so anyway. Wide angle shots of the woodland carpeted with blue can tend to look a bit messy, as bluebells grow in the wild and all sorts of other plants, weeds, branches and broken twigs litter the ground, unlike a carefully tended flower bed. I decided to select something else of interest in the landscape and show how the clumps of bluebells contrasted and complimented it. The wood has several spectacular fallen tree trunks, which have lain there for some time and have become part of the woodland floor, overgrown with moss. I also had a little play with my lens baby - this mimics the effect of a tilt and shift lens - keeps an area in focus whilst bending and blurring other areas. A bit like squinting your eyes and seeing the world a bit differently!

I find it much easier to shoot close ups of flowers, experimenting with different depths of field and playing around with the shapes, patterns and colours of the fore and backgrounds.

I really enjoyed my hour of escapism and can highly recommend a stroll through the woods at this time of year, with or without a camera. Bluebell Cottage Gardens is hosting a bluebell painting workshop tomorrow - be interesting to see the outcome of that.
Bluebell Cottage Gardens

"Aren't trees great, mummy!"

As promised we visited the Quinta Arboretum at Swettenham today. It took us a while to find it - DO NOT follow the SatNav - the guide book should definitely carry this warning. For the first time ever I saw a sign reading "SATNAV warning" at the entrance to the narrow, unadopted and, most importantly, dead end lane I was being directed down. Just head for Swettenham and the (eventually) well signposted Swettenham Arms. The Arboretum is equally discreetly signposted but unless you arrive early in the day like us, the steady trickle of visitors would give you a clue as to where to go. Payment is on a trust basis, which is really refreshing and it's very good value at just £2.50 per adult.

This informal approach is evident throughout the garden. There are no signposts to guide you, you just meander around, going wherever the fancy takes you and you're fairly sure to see everything. A map at the beginning would help - there were useful information points about the flora and fauna at key points and a map of the whole garden would ensure that you take everything in. We picked up a booklet about walks in the area in the pub afterwards and its map of the Quinta Arboretum revealed that we had missed out the "39 steps" and the Cockpit at the far reaches of the garden. I probably would have reached them had I been exploring on my own, but Sam's camera battery and his attention span had run out and we turned back just before this part.

Clumps of bluebells (my first of the year) provided splashes of vivid blue, white and pale lilac throughout the woodland. Although I love the traditional drifts of blue that carpet woodland at this time of year, the three colours compliment each other so well against green and the flowers are equally perfectly bell shaped and beautiful whatever their colour. The promised bank of bluebells (in the Cheshire Gardens Guide) was pretty, but hard to access to get any nice shots, so I just enjoyed looking at it instead.

But what really lifted my spirits and caused me time and again to raise my lens was the marvellous array of trees. All sorts of bark, knots, whorls, gnarled shapes, leaves, buds, imposing stance, delicate blossom, fragrance, scale, shape... so much to take in and so much to captivate. Sam, 7, exclaimed, "Aren't trees great, mummy. They help us to live and they are so beautiful!" Now Sam isn't normally given to girlie statements but he really seemed to appreciate all the different trees. We had armed him and Abigail with a compact camera each to keep them occupied and they enjoyed snapping away. The collages at the end are entirely their work. My particular favourite trees were a cherry blossom with bark the colour and sheen of gun metal (prunus Taihaku) and the veteran oak by the pond, with its huge gnarled protruberance the shape of a rhinocerous / cat / dinosaur (depending on your imagination).

The pond itself was a real surprise - perhaps it's nice not to see a map beforehand! It was a treat to suddenly come across this tranquil water edged by tall slender trees which were reflected in rippled lines on the surface of the pond. The sun was in and out of clouds today and the light changed dramatically from one moment to the next. I still haven't decided which shot of the lake I prefer. Both the same but with and without sunlight.

Sometimes I find it hard to step back and view a landscape - my personal photographic style is up close and I have to remind myself to step back and look at the whole picture. This was easy at the viewpoint at the far end of the garden, a wonderful view of the Dane Valley. I like to crop out sky if I can, unless it really adds something to the image, and I found myself drawn to the way the trees overlapped each other, colours and shapes contrasting and complementing each other, when viewed as a vista rather than as individual elements. Another very eyecatching vista was created by the thousands of dandelion flowers in the plantation. Some might say that these "weeds" have no place in a garden, but I personally loved the carpet of yellow heads stretching as far as the eye could see.

As we left the garden a blaze of vivid blue caught my eye - well you'd be hard pressed to miss it. It was a rhodendron augustini and was staggeringly gorgeous.



Our visit to the garden ended predictably in the pub - almost certainly like the majority of visitors - with a glass of wine, a huge plateful of triple decker sandwiches dripping with prawns and marie rose sauce - and a lively discussion about who had taken the best shot. Perfect!

I shall make a note in my diary to return in the Summer and the Autumn to see the changes during the seasons - a good excuse to sample more items on the menu at the pub too!

No time like the present

Well there's no time like the present! Having made this promise to myself and got support from my other half I think we should make a start straight away. I've flipped through the guidebook to Cheshire's Gardens and have picked out the Quinta Arboretum for tomorrow morning as it's nearby, not too large, promises a bluebell bank and is next to a pub! We can only allocate a few hours to this project tomorrow as Nic is breaking all the sacred rules of bank holidays and going off to catch a plane in the afternoon. As penance he has agreed to go with me and keep the kids under control whilst I take pictures. To be fair they enjoy our garden explorations but their patience wears a bit thin with me, as I kneel down yet again to get "just one last shot".