Visit to Grimsthorpe Castle part 2

 Here is part two of the trip to Grimsthorpe Castle.  Through the vegetable/kitchen garden gate was this slightly wilder border which contrasted well with the formality of the previous garden.

 There was what looked a bit like an orchard, with box growing round the base of the trees.

In this section, the trees were growing through areas of grass which had been left longer and which emphasised the trees.  I really liked this idea.

 A more formal avenue of trees, stretching off into the distance.

 Then we came to two grass areas, with box bushed and a pool and fountain in each, surrounded by yew hedging with topiary birds and shapes.  I think that the Grimsthorpe gardens would make a wonderful setting for a production of Alice in Wonderland .

 Some of the yew shapes cut on top of the hedge.

 The view across the park to the lake.

 A delightful tunnel which just invited the visitor to explore..."Curiouser and curiouser"...

 The tunnel led back up to a double herbaceous border with yellow and white as the main colours.  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Castle. As the day was still young, we decided to make a detour to a nursery and garden centre called Rasell's, in a village not too far away, called Little Bytham.  I used to live not that far from Little Bytham but hadn't been back for many years.  The nursery was full of well cared for plants and had planted borders which gave the visitor a good idea of how the plants would look in that situation.

I bought an agapanthus - 'Navy Blue' - well, it had to be done after seeing all the beautiful ones at Grimsthorpe.  I have tried to grow one before but all I got was leaves, so I hope this one will do better for me.

I also bough Dahlia Merckii, which is a plant that has been on my wish list for years, but which I hadn't seen for sale anywhere. That has been potted on and I am enjoying its small delicate flowers. Of course, we had to sample the tea room too, which was very nice, with proper china and tea leaves, not tea bags.  We had a fantastic day out and here's to the next one...