Gallery of past work

Friday 28 October 2016

Stourhead and flame red trees

We had a lovely day yesterday at Stourhead in Wiltshire. At this time of year, this National Trust property is wonderful and we had been wanting to visit for a long time.

The sun shone and it was mild and still. The autumn colours round the ornamental lake were stunning. Circling the lake, there was a scattering of sparingly placed red ornamental maples planted with such careful planning that wherever you looked just a single tree could be seen - so clever and  understated. Opportunities for photos were too many to record in full here. I include only a sample of my favourite views.

Along the lake with a rich red maple tree, drawing the eye ...
       
       

                                    

A small lake with orange trees ...
        

A ventilation shaft in a grotto ... I couldn't resist a hint of architecture ...
       
  
Trees and their shadows and a red maple ...
      

A view back up the lake and another flame red tree ...
        

 This was indeed a day to treasure with stunning views and time spent in the company of very dear friends.


12 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place! Thanks for your comment on my last post. I've been handstitching again for a few months, enjoying textiles again. Have a good weekend.

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    1. It is beautiful, and there is a lovely house that we have yet to visit so another visit will be needed!

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  2. I have read about this place and seen pictures. How fortunate you are to have been there yourself, and on such a beautiful day!! Your photos are spectacular! Such a wonderful time of year. Thanks for posting these!

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    1. We were extraordinarily lucky with the weather. When we arrived, it was misty and cloudy. As we set out to walk around the lake, the mist lifted, the cloud cleared and the sun came out allowing the photos you see here. Just as we got back to the car park, it clouded over again. As you say, when the sun shines, this is the most beautiful time of year - all the more so because it can be so short-lived.

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  3. Some wonderful photos. This is a childhood haunt of mine. I have always loved it. Thanks for posting.

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    1. Thank you for commenting and welcome.
      It was wonderful. How lovely to have Stourhead as a childhood haunt. Did you live close by?

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  4. One of my favourite places - beautiful at any time of the year but especially autumn.

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    1. Thank you very much for commenting. I found it fascinating to visit your blogs just now. You obviously inhabit a very different textile world from me - as you probably realise, I'm no quilter - but its alway interesting to see other ways of working.

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  5. Thanks for sharing your stunning day and that flame red tree. All so very beautiful.

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    1. This has been a very mild and delayed autumn and we had our first frost here in southern England only this morning. I can imagine that the colours at Stourhead are now, fleetingly, even more amazing.

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  6. The single red tree is something to keep in mind for our textile work!

    What a lovely place. I visited many years ago, and even without the brilliant colours it was lovely.

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    1. Yes indeed - the single red tree! The thought has crossed my mind too. The restraint was wonderful. There could have been dozens of those trees dotted round the lake but that would have been overpowering and confusing to the eye and would have diminished the effect -definitely a case of of less is more and a useful lesson.

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