Virtual tour ...

[alp]

For those who can't come to the UK to enjoy its rich history or to feast their eyes on its architectural gems, I am starting this new thread, hoping to entice you to come to the UK, virtually if not physically. As you know, some of these stately homes have very beautiful gardens.

First one is a story I have read. Please enjoy .. I will try to post one regularly. Hopefully, you can do the same about your country ..

[URL='https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjY8_zuoqXbAhVFJ8AKHQi_DmYQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-3309759%2FWill-Britain-s-biggest-private-home-lost-nation-350-room-mansion-Wentworth-Woodhouse-sold-Hong-Kong-based-company-8million.html&psig=AOvVaw3L_mhBH1lRlAQQssq99zA5&ust=1527489169053426'] [/URL]


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/hom...tely-home/ss-AAxJVzU?ocid=spartandhp#image=13

 

[DirtMechanic]

I will enjoy this very much. Thank You! No time just now, nature is only giving me today to get ready for an incoming tropical storm.

 

[Chuck]

Such a loss for the UK, the house being sold to someone in Hong Kong. That's like the Biltmore House being sold to the Chinese or Mt Vernon sold to Saudi Arabia. In my view heritage is something special.

 

[alp]

Such a loss for the UK, the house being sold to someone in Hong Kong. That's like the Biltmore House being sold to the Chinese or Mt Vernon sold to Saudi Arabia. In my view heritage is something special.

Thank heavens that we have National Trust which allows us to see a lot of historical houses. Houses such as the one which displays Edward VII's abdication letters and the one in which Charles II hid himself to avoid being captured. The Arabs have bought up a big chuck near Buckingham Palace and the queen has to entertain him because of that. Charles and his bit love to visit them to collect jewellery! Money talks .. The Chinese even bid for underground operation, a move I heartily approve. The British went to colonise Hong Kong and yet left the island with efficient management which now will be used to run our ailing infrastructure. Shame it has to come to this. But I bet our lovely cousins your way don't understand how the youths in this country operates. Most employers prefer Eastern Europeans as they would turn up and stick to the jobs!

 

[DirtMechanic]

Such a loss for the UK, the house being sold to someone in Hong Kong. That's like the Biltmore House being sold to the Chinese or Mt Vernon sold to Saudi Arabia. In my view heritage is something special.

In a word, property taxes. Heritage be danged. We went through here in the USA when it was a Japanese boom.

 

[alp]

I feel sorry for the Japanese though they were extremely cruel in WWII. Where they are, there are constant threats of earthquakes .. Just look at Hawaii now.. heartbreaking ..

Here, we can safeguard the buildings if they are listed. Hard to say as just re-wiring Buckingham Palace costs £400k whilst NHS, defence and others are crying for more funds..

 

[alp]

Went to RHS Royal Horticultural Society flagship garden Hyde Hall today.

The photos are a bit of jumble, so bear with me.

Always love the markings of foxgloves

The reception area of Hyde Hall

Lovely animal wood sculptures

These could be
Salvia x sylvestris 'Blauhugel

Trouble is it is early in the season, apart from roses, there are a lot of colour and as with most gardens, there are patches of the same non-descript colours. But beeeeees were buzzzzzzing!

 

[alp]

Newly finished buildings - very smart and very welcoming - would love to have a meal there, but too expensive. We had our pork chop sandwiches instead with grapes, lettuce. Delicious!

Hyde Hall champions dry and drought resistant planting ..

Lots of grasses and verbascums

You would be forgiven if you think you were looking at Australian plants - Bottlebrushes, both red and white, Eucalyptus trees, and BANANAS!

and a lovely ginko and a Cornus!

 

[alp]

Another shot at the Cornus

This canterbury bell is electrifying! Yeepee!

Lovely pond in the garden - most relaxing and there were some young ducklings ..

Just love these eryngiums

Very impressed with these penstemons - big flowers and showy

A strange lookng plant

Love the screaming colour of this zinnia

How can you not love Gazania (spelling??)

 

[alp]

Nice to have so many new buildings all in one go!

Love this big and bossy eryngium! Why are mine small and pathetic?

Salvia La Luna is soooo early!

The colour scheme here is red, blood red, pink and orange with the Eremurus and potentilla all set off one another! Not forgetting the red dahlia!

The rest go to 3 thread please!
https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/3-gardening-diaries.13361/page-162

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Wow!!! Great pics @alp. Thanks for sharing them with us.

 

[alp]

Thank you, @Upsy Daisy ! Wish it was near where I live like Mottisfont to yours!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

I've just Googled it, thought it was near ish....how far away is it then?

 

[alp]

About 45 minutes. It's a very dry place and as you can see, a lot of Australian plants are in there. I wonder how they can keep the bananas alive as it can be cold in the winter. The place have 3 new buildings and one newish conservatory. Not in the scale of Wisley. In fact, it is like a little joke - very small. They have opened up a lot of areas and have grown something on them. But it doesn't look half as nice as Perki's photos in his one. But I thought it's a good idea to let others have a look at Hyde Hall. Next time I go to a National Trust place, I will put the photos on here until I am tired that is!

Loads of plants for dry areas - tall verbascums, eryngiums, grass, irises, salvias, succulents ..

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Ah Ok.
Dry areas!!!!!.....We wil! have to get some of those plants!!.
I am seriously going to have to rethink my planting for next year....a lot isn't working this year and I think I will have to research some desert p!ants for certain areas of our garden......hate seeing plants struggling for survival