Out and about. (loads of photos)

I have been doing a little sewing but still will need twice as many as these for the border on the hexagon project. I find them quite soothing to pick up, prepare a few and stitch them together. I should start appliquéing some down or that will become a boring project in itself.

I don't know why the colours are so washed out in this photo but if I go away and edit them to adjust it, then this post will not get done. They look prettier than this photo suggests.

On Friday we had a day out, something we couldn't do with Frank and went to Hampton Court Castle north of Hereford. Not a defensive castle but a house which was castellated afterwards. It is slightly earlier in age to the more famous Hampton Court Palace just on the outskirts of London.  It has been laid derelict in it's past so it isn't full of wondrous antiquities but nonetheless is very much worth a visit.
The gardens are a delight. You enter first into a walled vegetable garden. I wish the technology allowed me to give the smells along with the photos. There was lots of dill and a few lavender and other smelly herbs. The whole scent mingled was fabulous.

I suspect like a lot of people do, these were grown for their colour.

 Does anyone know the name of this flower with the lime green star at it's centre?

 I loved the wicker 'drums' a lot of the vegetables were grown in. A lovely pretty idea and I imagine they help keep the slugs off.

I used to have pears espaliered against the wall when I lived in West Sussex. They remind me of elaborate earrings.

Then you go into the next walled garden with a formal layout.

 Through the tunnel at the end of this path it is overhung with wisteria. Next year we shall have to come back when it is in bloom.

 There pergolas had seats in the shade, I imagine they are lovely on a warmer day than we visited. We played 'guess the date'. DH thought they were older than I did. I thought they were less than 15 years old, he thought more.

 Rills, I love rills and bubbling pools.

There were two of these blue and yellow flowered borders either side of the central path.  Both were lovely but perhaps one side could have been a different colour combination, particularly as it is almost impossible to have both in the same field of vision. This is truly nitpicking as this garden is lovely.

 Through from the 2nd walled garden and under the wisteria tunnel, you end up round the side of the castle into parkland. Over the river was a handsome herd with a fabulous bull. I only had my phone for photos, so there is no closeup of the magnificent beast.

 So much thought has gone into the details. I love this hedge.

 I have know clue as to who this chap is, he was just there.

As was this fox or perhaps even a wolf?