Marle Place

We did drive out here 2 weeks ago nearly, probably a 30 min drive, only to find it was shut on Thursday. Today being Monday we try again. It's a garden originally designed in 1890, that we have been to before and were very happy to revisit.

Back of the House

Pergola covered with Wisteria

It also has the old house as part of it, still inhabited, but in this case the owners Gerald and Lindel Williams do a lot of work in the garden themselves. It's more of a wandering and wondering garden than a showy flower garden with tall hedges, a lawn tennis court in prime condition, a swimming pool and a sunken Italian garden with a lily pond.

 

Italian Garden

 

My memory told me we had stood on a little red bridge last time we were here, and sure enough we found it, sadly, not so red now.

The way it used to be...

The way it is now

There is a large lake at the bottom of the garden, relaxing and peaceful.
The garden has been in possession of the same family for 45 years now and where they used to have 20 gardeners in the previous centuries, today they only have 2 and 1 part-timer as well as the owners. In 1987 the Great Storm, or as they call it the hurricane, destroyed most of the trees on the property, with the exception of the large       in the main lawn. Since then they have planted 7000 replacements. A labour of love.

Happy Debra...