Loseley Park – Part one

This is one of two posts you’ll see this week about our visit to Loseley Park. I took so many photographs, it would be too much for one slideshow. A post with photographs of the flowers is coming over the next few days.

Loseley Park looks incredible when you drive into the grounds. If you’re seeking the wow factor, it’s definitely there. The house was one of the first stately homes to be open to the public and has been home to the More-Molyneaux family for 500 years. It contains works of art including paintings, clocks and cabinets.

Taking into account the attention span of our toddler, we opted for a nose around the gardens. First stop was the Courtyard Tearoom where we had a light lunch in what used to be the old kitchens and scullery of the house.

We then headed over to the Loseley Shop where we purchased some delicious Loseley ice-cream. It was such a gorgeous day all three of us enjoyed a little tub each.

We sat in the sunshine taking everything in before having a look in the magnificent walled garden. Beautifully laid out with roses, flowers and herbs it’s just superb.

You can really appreciate what it would look like when the Ancient Wisteria, which covered an entire wall, is in full bloom too. Also nearby is a Mulberry tree reputed to have been planted by Queen Elizabeth I.

We then passed through the award-winning rose garden, which is planted with one thousand old rose bushes, framed by long low box hedges. The central feature is a gazebo with newly planted roses.

The flower garden is awash with bold and fiery colours and the herb garden provides colour, texture and scent. POD enjoying running around and smelling the flowers. A vegetable and cut flower garden reminded me of my childhood somehow – I think it was the scent of the sweet peas and runner beans.

The white garden would have been a tranquil place to be were it not for our excitable toddler. POD loved the ornamental frog – quickly realising he wasn’t a seat – and we spotted a dragonfly at the water feature. I tried to take a photo of him but he was far too quick for me.

The moat walk was beautiful. Set at a higher level than the gardens, it provided great views of the house and the moat below it. POD had lots of fun running herself and her parents ragged. She ran, we ran, she ran faster. We laughed a lot. We had a great afternoon in the sunshine at a truly wonderful location.

We’re linking this post up with Country Kids at Coombe Mill and Magic Moments at The Oliver’s Madhouse.