Tuesday 11 March 2014

Spring Comes to Kingston Lacy



Sunday was a warm, bright day and perfect for another visit to Kingston Lacy, the National Trust`s house and park near Wimborne, Dorset, that was originally the home of the Bankes family.

The snowdrop display was almost over.



Our two little Granddaughters and their Mum joined us for the walk.
So did Upsy Daisy.



Snowdrops were going to seed while primroses, aconites and crocuses were at their loveliest.












We walked through the walled garden.......








.....to find that several long established trees were missing in the park. The wild storm of Valentines Night felled some of the finest old trees. The remains have been cleared to leave space for new planting.








An oak is holding up its neighbour that was uprooted in the storms.




Some of the oldest trees in the wood seem to have survived.




Along the woodland walk, snowdrops have given way to drifts of daffodils.




















Celandines were giving nectar to a newly hatched comma butterfly....




...and a shiny green fly.




A Brimstone butterfly was feeding, camouflaged on the right of this clump of primroses. 




We passed striking green bamboos.......




.....near the Japanese Garden.





....and walked back through the wild wood, where camelias were bursting into bloom in the unexpected sunshine.









Across the woods, a faint pale sheen of silvery green showed that leaf buds were ready to open for another spring.



15 comments:

Down by the sea said...

So lovely to share this walk with you and see these signs of spring. We have had a few Brimstone butterflies in our garden this weekend too. Sarah x

The Weaver of Grass said...

Looking at your lovely photographs, there is no doubt that Spring has really arrived in your part of the world. Isn't it funny how quickly we can forget all that horrible rain as soon as we get this sunshine.

Louise said...

This looks a lovely place to visit, but it's sad to hear about the trees... I think the country has lost a lot of fine trees this winter.

Morning's Minion said...

I'm a bit envious that you have the joy of flowers already, but am encouraged at seeing the green of new leaves emerging from our still chilly earth.
There is something rather sad about a grand old tree going down.

Ragged Robin said...

What a lovely post - wonderful to see all the Spring flowers and butterflies.:)

Such a shame about the loss of trees - I was reading a press release recently from the NT and so many have been lost in England :(

Kingston Lacey is on my list of places to hopefully visit when we holiday in Dorset later this year :)

Vintage Tea Time said...

What a lovely post. I love visiting places like that - the scale of the gardens and mass planting is always interesting. Looks like Upsy Daisy enjoyed it too!

Crafty Green Poet said...

looks like a lovely place to walk. it's sad that some of the old trees fell in the storms

Em Parkinson said...

A lovely post and I really feel like Spring is here....or rather there. So few flowers here so far!

Wendy said...

I've never visited Kingston Lacey and I loved the wander around the grounds here. The spring flowers look beautiful. It's interesting to see the impact of the winter storms on the trees, too.

Anonymous said...

Kingston Lacy has been on my list to visit for ages so it was lovely to see your photos.

SeagullSuzie said...

A lovely spring walk, thank you for sharing this beautiful garden with us

Bovey Belle said...

Lovely to see it with the spring flowers coming out - how pretty it all is. There have been SO MANY trees taken down in recent storms - everywhere we travel we see them. But I guess it is "the king is dead, long live the king" and other trees will replace them.

Love little Upsy Daisy!

WOL said...

Looks like you had a beautiful day for your outing. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Leanne said...

aa your killing me I love spring and we are getting ready to tuck up for the year down here. Love Leanne

Crafty Green Poet said...

I've just nominated you for the Lighthouse Blogging Award. You can read more here: http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/blogging-award-lighthouse-award.html