Not a breath of wind, no clouds, full sun, birds singing, and hardly another person around: our outing to Heale House garden was blissful. We had been there twice before, but many years ago, and had kept meaning to go back. A friend reminded me of this when she told me of her recent delight there, and so we chose to go today. And what luck with our timing! Not only was the weather wondrous, but the blossoms on the trees were out and pristine.
Glorious!
The house and garden are in a fantastic situation, in the curve of a branch of the river Avon, which creates views and opportunities for naturalistic design around the more formal gardens. Surrounding hills create a delightful wide valley which (apart from the occasional fighter plane! from the nearby air force station) was soothingly restoratively peaceful. With hardly anyone else in the gardens, and with so little other intrusion from the outside world it felt like we had sidestepped the everyday.
Even Heale Cottage (the large house with the thatched roof and the only visible neighbour) looked like an illustration from an 18th century novel.
Bright sunshine is not the best condition for taking good snaps, but everywhere I looked - vistas and details - demanded to be captured, to be savoured later.
In one corner there is a Japanese bridge leading to a now rather dilapidated tea house. But it all looks fitting with the magnificent surrounding blossoms.
So many shades and shapes of green - so much beauty, and promise of beauty to come.
This outing was both restful and stimulating in so many ways! We won't leave it so long to return again - although we should not count on being as lucky as we were today.
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