kelmscott manor

I feel a bit like a busy train station on a Friday evening, with signal failure. I've so many ideas bouncing around inside my head but I just can't seem to get them out.

As a complete antithesis to this yesterday I had a peaceful day visiting the beautiful Summer home of William Morris, Kelmscott Manor. It is set in a quintessentially English village and the manor is picture perfect. William Morris' fabrics and prints fit into their setting so much better than the brown Liberty versions found on old ladies curtains. But I was really impressed by the garden, a lovely English cottage style and of course this is about the best time of year to see such a garden. It must be tended to as there didn't seem to be any weeds, but the plants were allowed to grow freely, roses climbed against the honey-coloured stone walls and the orchard was filled with swathes of Cow Parsley (with mown paths for people to wander through). For me it was the perfect garden - if only. What with Kelmscott yesterday and Chelsea last week(on TV), I'm very aware that our garden is in dire need of attention.



And whilst I'm on the subject of lovely houses and gardens I must mention today's outing to Bowood. Annoyingly I didn't take the camera as I was thinking along the lines of a day out for the children, completely forgetting that the Adventure Playground that both Hubby and I remember so fondly from our childhood is set in the most beautiful grounds (designed by Capablilty Brown) of an C18th house.

Needing a bit of a change of scene we walked away from the playground to the lake with its 'Doric Temple' , caves, waterfall and boathouse. The children loved it and Granny decided she wanted to live here. The boathouse would do, but the main house would be ideal!