By the side of the Abbey is the most beautiful lavender garden. I just sat there for ages, breathing in the scent and watching the bees. Due to the time of day there was no one else around, the stillness was very welcome. I am not someone who 'stops' very often, I sat here and thought I really should make more effort to do so.
I admired the willow edging. I have reason to admire this as I am intending to do something very similar on my driveway later this year. It was one of those moments when the thing I was thinking about was suddenly in front of me and confirmed that my thinking was a good idea.
To one side of the gardens is the Physic Garden. This is made up of edible and medicinal planting. I enjoy a good Physic Garden, and this is a good one.
It is divided into four and is not really that big a space.
It is thought out and well labelled.
and I loved this quarter most of all. The water was a sudden calm.
I was not sure if these hollyhocks were meant to be in the fig tunnel, but they looked great.
A quick walk across the lawn and there is the sensory garden. Again this is beautifully maintained. I have rarely seen such well behaved stachys.
There are lots of places to sit and let the world go by.
and lots of good planting. I really enjoyed my wander around the grounds. I do not know how busy they get during the day so I can only say that early evening and early morning they are a great place to get some peace. It is probably unnecessary for me to add, but I will anyway, I have no religion at all so the christian basis was wasted on me. I enjoyed the space for what it is, a place designed for contemplation and it works very well at this.
However, carrying on a theme, as I drove to my first garden visit of the day I passed this old looking cross. Don't ask me where, it was somewhere between Buckfastleigh and Crapstone (I just want to write Crapstone and snigger in a juvenile fashion, sorry).Other visits related to this trip:
Wyndcliffe Court
Wildside
Hauser and Wirth
Iford Manor
