Gardens of Warwick

I've just spent four days going rounds some of the great houses and gardens around Warwick and a good time was had by all. Though I'm glad to be back I'm not happy to tackle the pile of washing that gathers itself while you are away. We stopped for lunch on the outward journey and for morning coffee on the return at a small place called Milford Muxloe where there is a part built castle, started in 1480 and never finished because the lord of the manor was executed in 1483. You can see the drawbridge and part of one tower in the background to the first picture. Keith on the drawbridge of Muxloe Castle with a couple of his lady friends. There were only 10 men amongst 35 women so Keith was very popular, especially the older fraternity when it came to opening doors etc. And Keith loved every minute of their attention.
Muxloe Castle and moat where they were fishermen out to catch the carp but they were a bit too smart for them and stayed on the bottom.
One of the gardens, I think this one was Hidecote Manor had some lovely succulents hiding in cracks in the garden walls. I just loved their colours amongst the warmth of the rocks.
Hidcote from the White Garden, Hidecote's gardens are arranged in as 'outside rooms' each one different from the next and each beautiful in its own right. The wild garden was wonderful and I though what I pity I couldn't have brought the boys down when they were young, I could have lost them for a week easily.
Upton House was quite different, built on terraces with a lake at the bottom, the photo above is of the wild grasses around the end with a view of the waterlilies.

Coughton (pronouced 'coat-on') court was a beautiful tudor mansion with impressive gardens. Next year the manor of Coughton and its surrounding lands will have been in the hands of the Throckmorton family for 600 years. Quite a feat considering one of their ancestors was involved in the Gunpowder Plot. There originally was a fourt wall to this quadrangle (this is the back of the house) but it was destroyed by the Parlimentarians during the English civil war.
One of the rose arches at Coughton Court within the walled garden. It was like a maze with each section dedicated to a specific colour, red, white, yellow etc.
These photos are mixed up this is the back of Upton House a Georgian Residence near Banbury.
One of the terraced walks at Upton leading down to the lake at the bottom of the hill.
I know this plant is fairly common but its furry leaves feel more like velvet and I couldn't stop stroking it.

I've managed to do a bit of sewing since I got home but still have loads to catch up with, more tomorrow.