I had a revisit in mind as I knew the planting in the Parterre would be in bloom, how right I was.
Tulips and the Parterre
First to indulge in a warm sausage roll, cheese scone and a cup of tea in the tea room - I know not the healthiest of lunches but most satisfying. What a busy little tea room it was too, it was lunchtime and what National Trust tea rooms are quiet at that time of the day. Still there was plenty of seating indoors and a large outdoor area including sit on tractors for children to play on.
Hanbury Hall Parterre
What's a Parterre? I hear some of you say. According to the gardening section of the Encyclopeadia Britannica "a Pareteer is the division of garden beds in such a way that the pattern is itself an ornament. It is a sophisticated development of the knot garden, a medieval form of bed in which various types of plant were separated from each other by dwarf hedges of box, thrift, or any low-growing controllable hardy plant." What a lovely display of flowers and clipped hedging the Hanbury Hall Pareterre contained. Flowers included Tulips, Auricula some Daffodils and Hyacinths although they were just going over.
Auricula
Auricula
Magnificent Tulips
Tulip
In the next garden room the two freshly painted Summer Houses in blue made a bold statement. Garden volunteers were busy tending the beds and their hard work had paid off as the whole gardens were looking immaculate, the flower beds edging was crisp and tidy. Flowers blooming in this area included the Pulsatilla also known as Pasque Flower, not sure why mine at home are looking like the poor cousins compared to these magnificent specimens.
Pasque Flower
Pasque Flower
Daffodil
On this visit I also discovered a rose garden, which is just waiting to bloom into color. Sounds like the perfect excuse for another visit!
