The Collector Earl's Garden
By dorjac
10 comments
In the autumn we visited the Arundel Castle. I was still trying to fathom out a new camera. This was a good opportunity to take a lot of photos. I did not realise this garden existed until I read the visitor info leaflet. I climbed to the top of the castle, as in an earlier blog. Then set out on the long trek to the garden. It was a perfect day. Warm, but not too warm, sunny, and bright. GJ stayed in the car, as he is not well, and finds walking very tiring. The garden was opened by Prince Charles on 14/5/08. It is a formal garden with gravel paths and huge oak pergolas and ornaments. There are many fountains, shell grottos, urns made of oak. There is a potager, which is posh for kitchen garden. I wandered round and got a few ideas. I got one idea to grow gourds up apple trees. I had hardly any apples last summer. so gourds might look decorative instead. I have just winter pruned my pyramids and ballerinas today… 10 of them. Six apples and six pears.
I was lucky that this young couple were entering the garden as I paused to take a photo of the entrance with the sun right ahead
!
Once I got into the garden I realised how strange it was that all the ornaments that might usually be stone were made of big chunks of oak.
This pretty fountain was made of stone, so was more conventional. I think the young couple sitting on the seat were in my first photo of the entrance.
Water trickling and tinkling everywhere. All very artfully set out.
A huge pergola with a dome, all made of oak. Lovely to walk through. How did they get it to curve like that?
Into the pear pergola, with gourds growing through them, in the potager.
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A serene water tank with cupid, in the middle of the potager. Surrounded by herbs.
One of the gourds growing with the pears on the pergola.
An unusual partnership of violas? and leeks.
I know the back taller pots are to force rhubarb but I wonder what the smaller ones are for ?
An oak urn, on a column, with a lions mask.
Colourful gourds. These are so nice for decoration and still life painting, as they don’t twist about and open like flowers.
I think these wooden gentlemen are called Karyatids or something like that.
A grand gazebo for an elegant teaparty. There are real antlers on the pediment and at the top of the columns.
On the way back to leave the garden there is a a Cork Oak, so I paused to take a couple of pictures. These had to go down in size to be shown. There was an answer to a question about getting pictures out of Picassa on to GOY by using the export button at the bottom. Thanks who ever gave that answer.
9 Feb, 2010
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Comments
Fascinating photos.... interesting blog :o)
9 Feb, 2010
Thanks Sueb and Terra. We intend to go back next October. The garden and grounds at Arundel are so large and spread out, it needs more than one visit. I could't leave GJ too long but he is very keen on me having another visit. Admission is rather dear.
9 Feb, 2010
Just had a look at the web site Look like a good day out thank you Dorjac.
9 Feb, 2010
I',m about 10 mins down the road from Arundel castle Dorjac, last year was the first time we'd been there, lovely grounds to walk round and as you say rather expensive. Lovely pictures :0)))))))
9 Feb, 2010
I too have lived in Sussex most of my life, ashamed to say i have never been into Arundel Castle despite living about 15 minute drive away. It's always the same when things are so close isn't it ? TheWildfowl and Wetlands area is a little further along from the castle, also Swanbourne Lake, a beautiful area for a Sunday stroll. Walked up there 3 weeks ago, pathside stream had risen up and onto the path, ducks were enjoying it, swimming over to the grass !
9 Feb, 2010
We went there about 10 years ago very narrow streets outside and I also remember the family chapel
9 Feb, 2010
I'm glad you enjoyed it dorjac as my friends designed this garden with all the wooden architectural details. They also designed the Stumpery and other features for H.R.H The Prince of Wales for his garden at Highgrove.They also won the award for their design that was used for the memorial garden in New York after the twin towers fell.
All of the wooden features in this garden are hand carved from oak, and there is the Dancing Crown in the grotto that sits on a jet of water. It is also amazing.
It is a spectacular garden isnt it?
Thanks for shaing the photos.
10 Feb, 2010
I remember passing the castle when I was very young, when we passed to go to the coast from London. Thanks for your blog, very interesting and some lovely photos.
10 Feb, 2010
Yes Gee, we have passed it many times on the way to my brother-in-law. We decided it was time I had a look round.
Kensington.... your friend is very clever to be able to design such a large garden with all that water trickling and so many unusual features. I had to whiz round. The grounds are so large overall. I would have liked to have sat down and really relaxed and looked at everything.
12 Feb, 2010
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Beautiful garden and how unusual to have all the oak sculptures. I have put it at the top of places to visit as it’s not that far from me Thanks enjoyed reading your blog and seeing the pictures :0)
9 Feb, 2010