Fall 2023 In UK Gardens

Rousham House & Gardens

Rousham is owned and lived in by the same family that built it in roughly 1635. (Another fact I read: the head gardener was born on the property. #destiny) Perhaps most redeeming to me is that it is uniquely unspoiled, remaining the way the principal architect of the gardens, William Kent, created it. Kent touched more than the gardens with his renowned creativity. Today, and certainly unusual, there is no visitor center, no cafe, and the “house” is only open by appointment. But, for hundreds of years Rousham gardens have been open to the public. As I made the circuit walk around the property I was alone and consequently felt very much transported back in time. The more formal gardens, close to the house, are spectacular by way of their curated, unkept wildness. It is difficult to describe, but as example, the large variety of Dahlias were growing intertwined in a long hedge running the length of one of the garden walls; an explosion of color and textures giving the appearance of not having been planted by the human hand. I don’t want to imply that the gardens are not well laid out or untended. Just the opposite is true.

Included in the gallery below are some pictures of a chapel or church that appears to be regularly used by the community that sits adjacent to the formal garden rooms. Like everything at Rousham, it offered a wonderful opportunity to feel transported to another time and place.

Lastly, one of the unique things about my visit was the amount of water nature had just deposited all around England. The river Cherwell running through Rousham was moving fast and had over flowed onto the banks. This made exploring some areas less advisable. Nonetheless, my visit was absolutely fantastic in every way. A piece of me regrets not going back for a second day, but I stuck to my plan of a garden-a-day. Click on an image below to view a slideshow of the images.

Hidcote

Hidcote in the Cotswolds was recommended by a friend and so it was on my “must get there list.” And, it proved to be all that I could have expected and more. It was quite a contrast to Rousham. First, it is a National Trust property, so it is fastidiously maintained and set up to handle lots of visitors. That said, and second, the egress and the buildings create a very different feel. The buildings are smaller and everything feels less wide open than Rousham. Although when you look beyond the gardens you see only the rolling, wide-open hills and farmland.

The gardens are the work of the renowned Lawrence Johnston and were planted in phases over a 21 year period beginning around 1907. So, by English standards this might be considered a very young garden. According to the literature it covers 10.5 acres. When you are roaming the garden rooms and open spaces, it feels like more than that. I was wondering why and came to the conclusion that your travel through very distinct garden rooms through more flowing open spaces and back into a new room. Upon reflection it feels very compact, but very open at the same time. The variety and uniqueness of the plants are considered a special feature of this property. Honestly, Fall going into Winter is probably not the best time to view the gardens from that standpoint. Rather, the absence of abundant growth and flowering offer the opportunity to see the magic of the spaces.

Trying to capture the essence of Hidcote in four hours and/or one visit was daunting. I felt like I was moving to quickly and not getting enough opportunity to take it all in and really think about my shots. That said, it was a great day, in a great garden, in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside. Click on an image below to view a slideshow of the images.

Cambridge

Cambridge is also home to one of the great universities and has a population of approximately 145,000 people. In my opinion, the city doesn’t have the same hustle and bustle that one feels in Oxford. It’s not quiet per se, but feels like it has a more casual and comfortable pace.

The River Cam runs through Cambridge and I am told that traveling the river is the best way to see the various college grounds. My visit to Cambridge coincided with torrential rains and flooding that precluded the punt on the Cam I was looking forward to.

But, I was lucky enough to be there for my son’s graduation festivities and formal ceremony (no photography allowed). As part of that, I visited his college, Peterhouse, which is the oldest of the University of Cambridge colleges.

I also toured the very impressive University of Cambridge Botanical Gardens. In contrast to the same in Oxford, the Cambridge Botanical Gardens are physically much larger, but still located in the heart of the city. Click on an image below to view a slideshow of the images.