Thursday Thoughts – Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle was built in the 11th Century by Roger de Montgomery. With its pinnacles and towers, it looks more or less out of a fairy tale. In many ways it was a different castle than the first three we visited. I want to take you to some of its most interesting features.

Arundel Castle is perhaps most famous for its Stumpery – a garden made out of old tree stumps and ferns. I immediately fell in love with it, and got some ideas for my own garden too. (Where I already have some fallen trees with planted climbers.)

Another wonderful scenery was the wild flower garden, which reminded me of our wild flower fields up north, close to the mountains. I wish I could have a garden like that!

If you look closely, you can even find a young moor hen with its extremely big feet and toes. It was busy pruning itself and staring down into the water. They are such funny creatures, and this one seemed not at all afraid of people.

I think I will save some pictures from the gardens as well as inside the castle for another post. Hopefully you enjoyed the tour – thank you for walking with me!

Lens – Artists Challenge #315 – Common Objects

Ritva is our host this week, and common objects are in focus – making them shine. Please visit Ritvas amazing site with some brilliant inspiration!

I will start in Japan – with Shinkansen and

some ordinary umbrella stands. The Japanese can give anything mundane a fascinating glow, so, no credit to my photography…

Next gallery was made from my home, indoors photos. I have used close-ups, fisheye lens, high key pictures and B&W.

Let’s go out in the garden to enjoy the little things! Clothes pegs in the evening light as well as caught by the vine, the top of my empty watering can, a spider’s web against the greenery, a tomato plant, a tiny orchid in the dark…and a Solomon’s Seal.

Many thanks to Anne for her brilliant hosting of last week’s Shorelines challenge. The beautiful shorelines washed away all our troubles and wrinkled foreheads! I hope you will join us next week too, when Egídio will be our guide. Until then, take care and enjoy life!

Thursday Thoughts – More from Great Dixter

As this was my favourite house and garden on the tour, I will post some more from both the garden and indoors. The interior was very special, and the windows amazingly beautiful.

On entering the house, the light from the many windows and the open architectural solution made for an immediate love. In the header you can see the second floor and some more modern architecture.

I loved the seemingly wild and random, unorganized looks of the garden – even if I knew there is a design behind it. For more facts, please visit Jude again!

The nursery is a must see in every garden – and maybe buy a little something…which I of course did! Thank you for walking with me – hope to see you in my next garden walk too.