When my children were younger we used to visit Belton House often. It was one of the few National Trust houses that they willingly would visit as it had a superb adventure playground. We used to take a picnic and it would always be a good day out. After visiting Little Ponton the other day we realised we were close to Belton so we decided it would be nice to visit again.
It is a very fine house and it sits well in its landscape.
It has impressive architecture that just shouts wealth.
and also some rather wonderful ornamental quinces flowering up the warm-coloured walls.
The formal gardens are very well proportioned.
and you turn from one way to the other to admire the lines and focal points.
We peered through the windows of the closed camellia house. It looked warm and steamy in there and we could see the flashes of orange fish.
There were, of course, plenty of snowdrops.
There is this tree lined avenue to the house, which when you turn around.....
reveals the edge of a ha ha and a focal point in the distance. This worked perfectly.
Plus some moments to stop and enjoy the little things.
I loved this bumpy hedging that creates an arch over the pathway.
This curved wall was a beautiful piece of detail. It is around the back of the house in a corner and so could be easily missed. It has many roses growing up it and I need to return to see them in flower.
I was stopped in my tracks by this, I think it is a wisteria, it is beautifully pruned and spread its arms far and wide.
We also found some naturalised drifts of snowdrops and daffodils.
It was a really nice couple of hours wandering around, I don't think I had every walked around so much of the gardens before. I shall definitely be returning when the season has turned again.
It was a really nice couple of hours wandering around, I don't think I had every walked around so much of the gardens before. I shall definitely be returning when the season has turned again.
Sounds like a lovely garden for an afternoon ramble. Hope you'll post some pictures of the roses on that curving wall. Haven't actually seen quinces grown as an espalier like that..their blossoms complement the wall nicely. Love those bulging hedges..Jacques Wirtz would approve. Thanks for sharing a fine garden : )
ReplyDeleteThanks - the quinces were really beautiful, I wish I had a suitable wall to grow them like that.
DeleteImpressive place - I particularly like the view with the church - is it an orangery in the middle of that shot?
ReplyDeleteWe are so lucky with the National Trust.
All the best :)
Yes it's an amazing orangery - wasn't open on the day of our visit sadly
DeleteLooks nice! Will add to my list of gardens to visit!
ReplyDeleteAny quince envy?
ReplyDeleteI always have quince envy - always
DeleteThe house has a distinctly French façade - did the family have French connections ?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can find - no not particularly, it is just a fashionable design of the time.
DeleteBelton's a lovely place. I first visited before the National trust took over, staying at a caravan rally on the lawn in front of the house! Since then we've stopped off many times on our way from Derby to Lincolnshire or Norfolk. At first,when our youngest daughter was small, we visited the adventure playground, then moved on to the house and gardens. Even now we seem to find something new each time - the maze, flowers in the camellia house, fruit on the medlars, the extra walks to the boathouse and around the lake. This post is from an Autumn visit http://maryomsthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/weekend-away-part-1.html
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