Ten Years a Blogger

Happy tenth anniversary to Thirdageblogger!

I began this blog as personal journal after I retired and was considering my options.  I cited the following as possible avenues:

Gardening

 Not mine!  Italian Gardens, Scarborough

Cooking

Voluntary work

Writing

Do something new every week

Followers of my blog will know that I did indeed embrace these options and have met new people and encountered bloggers of similar interests from whom I have learnt a great deal.

Who would have thought that a pandemic could change our lives to such a degree - and it's not over yet?  

I recognise that my blog is rather eclectic but it fits the criteria of a personal journal to look back on in my dotage.  For this reason I will continue to record my triumphs, however small.

Thank you for reading and hope that you will continue to drop by.

Visit to Kiplin Hall and Gardens

Taking advantage of what the forecast promised to be a fair weather day, we visited Kiplin Hall and Gardens, situated off the beaten track in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside near Richmond.  The Jacobean Hall was built by George Calvert, Secretary of State to James 1 and founder of Maryland USA.  Four families, all blood relatives, have owned and lived here and left the paintings and furniture they collected as well as the art work, literature and furniture that they produced.  The last member of the family, Bridget Talbot, had no offspring neither did her siblings so when she died in 1971, she bequeathed it to charity.  I'll leave the rest of the history for you to discover.

This lake was the result of gravel quarrying in the 1990’s. The income from the sale of the gravel was used to pay for the restoration of the hall. 

The Folly

 

  Geese and swans can be seen on the 1 mile walk around the lake.  The island is a safe haven for them.  There is a wide variety of wild flowers and trees with benches dotted about to appreciate the scenery.  

The gardens are a delight.  We had our picnic in the walled garden with its swathes of flowers, edged with fruit trees, an allotment and ornamental pond.

There are other walks around the grounds, none very strenuous, so allow a good few hours for your visit.

Visit to Scampston Hall and Walled Garden

It was such a treat to visit Scampston, in North Yorkshire, which was impressive even under grey skies and drizzle.

The Walled Garden was designed by Piet Oudolf in 1999 and his signature swathes of grasses and flowers are very much in evidence.

A viewing mount gives an overall impression of the whole garden

  .  

The garden is such a great opportunity to find plenty of planting ideas for your own garden.

In contrast, the parkland was the work of Capability Brown with a huge lake, bridge and waterfall.  The Hall was closed for this year.

 

Throughout the grounds there are trails allowing you to discover wildflower meadows, specimen trees, wildlife and the various outbuildings and features of a stately home.

I don't like to give too much away, as you can experience the wow factor for yourself.  A cafe and plant sales completes the experience. 

And we’re back …. at the coast

After managing a week at the start of the season, lockdown happened but now we’re back.

It’s surprisingly quiet here; just how we like it.  After tarting up the veranda and  sorting out the gas and wifi supply, it’s as if we’ve never been aware.  Actually, I think we appreciate it more than ever.  I was going to say if only we still had that beautiful Spring weather but that sounds ungrateful considering the current situation.

 A visit to Hornsea

 By the Floral Hall

Hornsea beach

and to one of my favourite gardens:  Burton Agnes

No artist in residence this year

The maze

 The walled garden here is divided into  garden rooms, by colour or species or edibles and mostly well labelled.

I do like to be beside the seaside.  Do you?