I've been to Hampton Court Flower Show before, and I've seen Rufus Wainwright performing in the grounds, but I've never visited the Palace and gardens before - until yesterday. What an amazing place! Everything is on such a grand scale. The opulence of the interiors is breathtaking, but for me the real jewel in the crown is the garden. I think I picked the best time to visit, as the borders were looking magnificent.
The rose garden was at its peak, filling the air with the perfume of old-fashioned varieties.
There are plenty of formal elements to the garden.
The border below comes as a bit of a shock after all this beauty, and it is not in the planning stages, it is meant to look like this. For growing below it are the roots of the Great Vine. At 229 years old, the vine has grown to a length of over 36.5 metres. Housed in a special building, it is kept behind glass, hence the blurry appearance on the photos.
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| The mighty trunk |
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| Grapes ripening nicely |
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| The vine has been trained back and forth to create a tapestry as impressive as those inside the palace! |
Oh my, what a garden, what a palace, what a great place! The rose garden is every rose lover's dream and the long border is quite spectacular (heh, can you just transplant 10 feet of it to my garden?). I also like the formal gardens quite a bit. The grape vine and the story behind it is unbelievable and everything is in pristine condition as usual in England! Happy belated birthday to you Martin, I am glad you had a nice day and enjoyed the cream tea!
ReplyDeleteChristina
It's certainly an amazing place, Christina. Thank you for the birthday wishes!
ReplyDeleteI was at Hampton last fall for the first time and I love it, the Palace but especially the garden! When I was there the rose garden was not in bloom so how great it was to find it here on your blog. The border looks great and your pictures are gab! I have to say the sunken gardens are my favorites. I have a post on my site if you are interested in seeing it in fall. Great post. Happy Birthday, great gift for a a gardener! Jeannine
ReplyDeleteI too love the sunken garden. I've never seen honeysuckle clipped into standards before. I'll head on over to gardenenvy for a peak at Hampton in autumn!
DeleteOops--Ha! gab=fab!
ReplyDeleteThat looks great Martin! Like you we haven't visited the palace and grounds of Hampton court before but everyone I've asked has raved about it. Your photos are another evidence of its splendour and beauty. Must try to visit soon :)
ReplyDeleteI can recommend it. And luckily the photos came out okay despite being on my mobile, as I'd left my camera at work!
DeleteI havent visited Hampton Court since I was a child but I know that in recent years they have revamped the Privy Garden and it is meant to be an excellent example of an Elizabethan garden.
ReplyDeleteIts nice to see that the borders are so interesting and beautiful, I may overcome my dislike of topiary and visit
Topiary isn't really my thing either but with the backdrop of the palace it's just the right sort of formality for the situation.
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