This is not my garden! I wish I had a lovely garden with a Spanish and Italian area, a lake and a woodland walk! This is my annual trip to one of the National Trust Properties - Mount Stewart.
It was a rather dull day with some rain so the photos don't do it justice but it's a lovely garden to visit. The Trust is investing £6million in the restoration of house and gardens. The house tour and the garden tour are great!
 |
| The statues around the garden never appealed to me much in years past but this year I did the garden tour which explained that Lady Edith, who designed the garden back in the 1920's, used to have gatherings (parties) with high profile guests, many being politicians. The guests had to select an animal to represent themselves. Lady Edith designed a section of the garden with animals to represent this fun side. Apparently Winston Chruchill used to attend her parties, however, not sure if he had an animal that represented him. |
 |
| Above and below: areas of the garden. I like they way she combined structure but also kept some loser areas around the garden. My ideal garden combines formal and structure with cottage style - not an easy combination! |
 |
| Above and below: other statues around the garden. Below: Lady Edith liked to mix Greek/mythical ideas with a bit of humour. |
 |
| Above: The garden has amazing topiary. This is a boat with Lady Edith and her daughters. Below: The Spanish style garden. |
 |
| My favourite statue in the garden - an alligator (or crocodile) near a water feature. Reminds me of Florida! |
Happy Mother's Day in the USA!
My mom's blog - http://egrettawells.blogspot.co.uk/
Copyright: All words and photos are property of "Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden".
I love the Spanish style garden. Its so serene!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! And very interesting, too. Love the topiary, and the pergola. And those yew? columns. The best part, though, is just hearing how she used her garden, and how she put her own personality into it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely garden. I can see that Lady Edith put a lot of her own personality in to the gardens, and lots of her humour too. I love the statues, I wonder what animal would have represented Winston Churchill.
ReplyDeleteRhe Spanish garden would translate well in a home garden.
ReplyDeleteWinston Churchill could only be represented by the Bulldog!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelli, What beautiful grounds! The statues are fun. I wonder who Churchill felt was his totem animal? ;) I like your gardening style. A bit of formal with cottage. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteMy ideal garden is one that mixes the formal, along with free and natural plantings. You are right this is not the easiest to achieve, but it is a style I find very interesting. I love this post! VERY INSPIRERING!
ReplyDeleteMount Stewart is beautiful. A walk through professional gardens brings inspiration and renews our love of gardening. Lovely pictures. I am glad that I got to visit.
ReplyDeleteMount Stewart has such beautiful gardens! Wish I could have gone with you, but thanks for sharing all those beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteI think my eldest sons who likes dinosaurs and monsters would really enjoy a trip to this garden.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful garden! I wish I can visit them!
ReplyDeleteA bit too formal for my taste - but you can't fault the design, and it has the playful element too.
ReplyDeleteAdding garden animal statues to your outdoor space is a fantastic way to bring charm and whimsy to your garden. These decorative pieces, whether realistic or artistic, can enhance the natural beauty of your garden while creating interesting focal points. Placing garden animal statues among plants or along pathways adds character, making your outdoor area feel more inviting and lively. From playful squirrels to majestic deer, these statues can reflect your personal style and create a serene, nature-inspired atmosphere that both you and your guests will enjoy. They're a perfect addition to any garden setup!
ReplyDelete