Saturday, 20 March 2010

So peaceful and a gem of a place

Two o'clock on a wet Saturday.
I am down at at Hallmark.
Wood burning stove is going a treat.
Although it is warm I feel it is time for a break and a bit of a walk.
Maybe some hot soup and some bread pudding!
So lets go to one of my favourite spots near to Hallmark.
Its the historic walled garden Sunbury Park
This was most probably built in the early part of the 18th Century as the kitchen garden for the large mansion in Sunbury village .
Sadly over time the walled garden fell into disrepair but in around 1985 Spelthorne Council. started to restore what was the kitchen area as a formal garden. 
It is one of the most peaceful and unknown gems I know.
Great for sitting and just thinking!
The garden has been designed on formal lines and includes various styles of garden types from past centuries, including knot gardens, parterres and a Victorian rose garden. 
There are also four large areas of island beds in which are displayed collections of plants from all parts of the world, and representing numerous plant families and species. 
The knot garden is well worth seeking out as it is in a style of gardening popular around the 15th and 16th centuries and the intricate inter-weaving of the dwarf hedges displays evidence of Italian influences on English gardens at that time. In a similar manner the French influences around the 17th century can be seen in the parterres, which are areas of geometrically designed flower beds, enclosed by clipped dwarf hedges.
There is also a Victorian Rose garden which has rose species and varieties which were either introduced or widely planted during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).
By the way the Wall Garden is a accessible by narrow-boat with good moorings in the Sunbury weir stream.  Its less than 30 minutes from Hallmark's base.

Posted via email from Dave Futcher's blog

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