Reality is on the blink again, as Douglas Adams once said. The trees in the snowdrop woods are wearing scarves, and what we thought was the bothy, beside the walled garden, is now Badger’s house. Meanwhile, the deer in the park have gathered just about as far from all this fun as possible. Are we surprised?
…and various other autumn fruits. Once again, we’re dodging the showers in Attingham Park. It seems busy – others have had the same idea, though once we’re half-a-mile or so from the entrance, it’s much quieter. Some sad soul has kicked what were probably fine fungi into many fragments – but there are still one or two splendid specimens for the camera.
…in the greenhouse and the walled garden at Attingham. We’re taking a short leg-stretch, staying close to civilisation as there’s a chance of a heavy shower (inevitably, as we’ve taken a brolly, it stays dry). It’s very busy here today – car parks overflowing, with visitors to a classic car rally, but we’ll keep away from that, walking around the perimeter of the estate where there are relatively few others. As we near the end of our wander, we pass through the walled garden, where there’s plenty of summer colour.
A short wander around Attingham Park, on an afternoon which improved. The deer – lots of young ones – are taking it easy. The walled garden is full of colour – and the scarecrows seem to be working as intended.
Thousands of trees at Attingham – and today we’ve found the most ancient. It’s 800 years old, apparently. The deer are taking it easy on this fine afternoon, and we’re not hurrying either. The snowdrops are just about at their best now, truly like snowdrifts in the woods.
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Last winter, the (literally) heavy snowfall in December broke many branches off the lovely Lebanese cedars at Attingham Park. They will recover some of their former glory, I’m sure, given time. Elsewhere in the park, the snowdrops are coming out, and the squirrels are scurrying about trying to remember where they buried their nuts. It’s one of the floodlit days – when the sun shines, that is – it’s rather hit and miss…
A gentle stroll on a cool afternoon, and a breath of fresh air before the fun begins…
The deer, that is. They seem to be taking it easy this afternoon. But never mind the deer, look what’s parked outside, taking a drink at the Mytton and Mermaid. Those ploughing engines, on their way to the steam rally at Onslow Park, use a lot of water. (I suspect their crews were ready for refreshment too). Elsewhere at Attingham, there are signs of the advancing season. Autumn’s approaching, and the apples and pears in the walled garden look juicy, despite the dry summer.
A short wander around Attingham Park, on an afternoon of (some) bright sunshine and a cold wind. The walled garden provides a little shelter, and there’s lots of cultivated spring colour. Outside, in the woodlands, there are more natural seasonal highlights, with bluebells and cowslips brightening the shade.
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