After a reviving cup of tea and a bacon sandwich the Garden Trio set off to the second garden of the day and it couldn't have been more different. Iford Manor, between Bath and Bradford-on-Avon is an Italian style garden that was home to the architect and designer Harold Peto. It was stunning and on a hot sunny afternoon it reminded me so much of Florence last year. One of the first things I saw was an Iris - most definitely the Iris of Florence!
There was some lovely statuary,
(couldn't work out if the dog was going for aloof, mournful or just bored!).
A beautiful colonnade,
with stunning deep borders,
and staircases up and down all over the place!
There was water aplenty, with sunny ponds,
cool rills (I soooo want a rill!),
and hidden pools.
The planting was beautiful with lots of bee busy Nepeta and lovely Sages
some terrifically Italianate topiary,
and a drift of naturalised Martagon Lilies in the deep shade under a huge tree.
And a great place for a rest - tea and shortbread recommended!
It was a lovely place to wander and loose yourself. The Manor and Garden is set in the beautiful village of Iford, with a pretty bridge over the river and chocolate box cottages with roses over the door. There are various walks you can do around the surrounding idyllic countryside (although beware the cows, apparently they are notorious!)
And if you want some very upmarket and exclusive entertainment, operas and concerts are staged in the cloisters in the garden during the Iford Festival.
How very civilised!
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