Alice's Garden Travel Buzz » Historic Gardens

Springtime Travel: Wisteria Bedecked Gardens

Alice Joyce — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:50:49 +0000

Lavish displays of Wisteria are one of the joys of Springtime garden sojourns.

Iford Manor draped in Wisteria: Peto Garden Photo © Alice Joyce

The magnificent architecture and historic landscape of the Harold Peto garden at Iford Manor is literally draped in the cascading, fragrant blooms in May.

Iford Garden Wisteria and Fountain Photo © Alice Joyce

Link to an earlier post, where I reveled in the artistic landscape of Iford Manor: The Harold Peto Garden

Hestercombe Wisteria Archway Photo © Alice Joyce

The historical importance of the gardens and the landscape architecture of Hestercombe must surely be on the bucket list of anyone who appreciates the exceptional Arts & Crafts style. At Hestercombe you’ll marvel at the teamwork of doyenne Gertrude Jekyll and master architecture, Edwin Lutyens.

Kensington Roof Gardens Wisteria Photo © Alice Joyce

A fabulous spot in London: After a delectable meal at Sir Richard Branson’s

Babylon restaurant… be sure to stroll the intimate roof gardens.

Monks House Wisteria Photo © Alice Joyce

My pilgrimage to Bloomsbury author, Virginia Woolf’s Monk’s House is among my most memorable garden visits in the English countryside. Read more about this beautiful National Trust property that sparkles in Springtime…

Hidden Gardens of Spain: Book Review

Alice Joyce — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:22:52 +0000

2011 Paperback Edition : Published by Frances Lincoln Ltd

Hidden Gardens of Spain by Eduardo Mencos

When I’m not galivanting about, I pursue armchair travel with an unwavering zeal. There’s much of Spain I’ve yet to see. Yet now, after spending evenings curled up in my favorite wing chair with a new paperback edition of Hidden Gardens of SpainHidden Gardens of Spain, I’ve had the opportunity to accompany author Eduardo Mencos to each “little Eden” he visits, sharing each “enchanted moment” chronicled in alluring photographs and beautifully rendered descriptions.

Mencos moves from private estates in southern Galicia, to the highest city in Central Spain – Avila, to the sun-drenched south and Coastal environment, to the Canary Islands. In each garden vignette, a site’s unique character is revealed, its design influences, and stunning sense of place: Mencos shows readers the work of great designers such as Fernando Carruncho; landscapes that reflect an owner’s style resulting in what appears to be a moonscape; and the planted surroundings created by Name Your LinkHeidi Gildemeister, known for her expertise in Mediterranean gardening.

Sharing the thoughts and inspirations of the owners, Mencos peppers his finely woven prose with the musings and observations of an insightful guide. His lively writing melds with the sumptuous photography to capture a garden’s essential elements, within the framework of an overview of location and historical details.

In lieu of a real-life tour with Mencos, I’ll return again and again to the book’s fascinating settings representing varied stylistic points of view: Be it drawing on Spain’s Hispano-Arabic tradition; looking toward Italy or England; or contemporary spaces like the author’s home, representing a landscape where art, organic forms in an ordered layout, and nature rise up in harmony.

Mediterranean gardeningMediterranean Gardening on Amazon

Villa Lante: Touring Italy’s Historic Gardens

Alice Joyce — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:11:52 +0000

Villa Lante Pegasus Photo © Alice Joyce

The elements of a Renaissance garden come together in a poetic harmony at Villa Lante, northeast of Rome in the village of Bagnaia. A trove of books can open one’s eyes to the art of… Italian Gardens .. Amazon

River Gods Fountain Photo © Alice Joyce

Often quoted author of Italian Villas and Their Gardens, the novelist Edith Wharton found the setting to be a magical place when she visited in 1903. The survival of these gardens is commendable, as so many of the period have now vanished. Attributed to the great Mannerist architect, Vignola, Villa Lante began as the dream of Cardinal Gambara in the 16th century. The conversion of a hunting preserve became the glorious landscaped grounds we see today. Cardinal Peretti-Montalto tales credit for the creation of the central Fountain of the Moors.

Villa Lante Parterre Overview Photo © Alice Joyce

Italian gardens are dense with greenery and Villa Lante is no exception. Italian cypress trees and hedges provide shade, while the living plant material provides visual delights in the form of boxwood sculpted into elaborately patterned parterres.

Taking full advantage of the steep site, the gardens are set into a series of terraces carved into the hillside, where stonework staircases lead visitors to discover surprisingly sensual water features, sculptures, and grottoes. Distant views, too, are an integral part of the garden’s geometrical arrangement, built upon a longitudinal axis.

A side note: On this journey, I used a wonderful car service for two major segments of the journey. Barbara Galli, my English-speaking contact provided advice, dependable drivers and extremely comfortable vehicles. Here’s a link to the web site in case you’re looking for a driver, transfers or touring in Italy: Roma Transfer

Villa Lante Cascade Photo © Alice Joyce

Water feature representing an elongated crayfish or gambaro, exalting Cardinal Gambara.

Countless scholars and garden historians have mused that Villa Lante embodies the ideal of perfection associated with the guiding design principles of the Renaissance, in its symmetry and overall proportions.

Fontana dei Mori - Fountain of the Moors Photo © Alice Joyce

Although it may not be possible to sip a glass of wine at the Cardinal’s Table [below] when visiting Villa Lante, you’ll be transported to another era if you allow your imagination to take hold.

Villa Lante Stone Table Photo © Alice Joyce

Gravetye Manor: A Resurgence in Sussex

Alice Joyce — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:19:44 +0000

Once home to the doyen of 19th century English gardening, William Robinson’s historic Gravetye Manor is enjoying new life as a luxe country hotel and celebrated restaurant, just as the acclaimed gardens are regaining their rightful role.

Gravetye Manor - Flower Border Photo © Alice Joyce

Having left his post at Great Dixter, Gravetye’s head gardener Tom Coward is managing the restoration of the property’s established gardenscape, while promising to add contemporary panache to planting beds, borders, and bucolic landscape.

: Eremurus Photo © Alice Joyce

Stone Bench Photo © Alice Joyce

During my late-spring visit, the gardens looked fetching. Following along pathways of York stone with its aged patina, I meandered through the formal flower garden where the soft colors of foxtail lily played off bright lupins, and vividly marked foxglove blooms towered over masses of geraniums, columbines and brilliant red poppies.

: Wisteria .. Restored Pergola Photo © Alice Joyce

A well-known element in William Robinson’s design of Gravetye, the garden’s long pergola has been reborn; befitting a lush Wisteria display.

To tour the gardens, you’ll need to make a reservation to have a meal in the intimate, oak-panelled Gravetye Manor Restaurant presided over by Chef Rupert Gleadow, or book a stay at the hotel.

A glimpse of the elegant lunch entrées:

T’s selection: Assiette of seasonal & garden vegetables, truffle cream & baby rocket.

My choice: Fillet of Southcoast Grey Mullet, Fricassee of asparagus and morels, fondant potatoes and Madeira jus.

Gravetye would surely be a wonderful place to stop for

…. Afternoon Tea.

: Gravetye Manor Wild garden Photo © Alice Joyce

Experiencing the gardens’ distinctive spaces, I moved from the sublime symmetry of the Flower Garden to stroll amid the Azalea Bank on the way to The Long Lawn. Going forward to the renowned Wild Garden Robinson created a century ago, I came upon a landscape that to this day remains a lyrical vision of winding paths through wildflower meadow to pond, as the eyes coming to rest on a perimeter of trees.

William Robinson - a Vintage Photograph

Robinson continued to live at Gravetye into his nineties. Even after he began using a wheelchair, Robinson could look out from the shelter of his garden room, surrounded by beauty.

Gravetye Manor Garden Room Photo © Alice Joyce

Gravetye Manor Photo © Alice Joyce

Decorative wrought ironwork door opening onto the Gravetye garden.

Gracious Greystone Mansion: Historic Gardens

Alice Joyce — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 18:30:45 +0000

Winter Bloom – Beverly Hills

Cistus purpureus (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Greystone Mansion Circular Fountain (Photo: Alice Joyce)

The City of Beverly Hills maintains the inviting landscape of Greystone Park and Mansion.

Greystone Mansion Long Walkway (Photo: Alice Joyce)

The historic site is a delightful setting to explore year-round, although filming for television and movies may be taking place, making the mansion area out-of-bounds. When weddings or receptions are planned, garden areas also may be off limits.

Greystone Mansion Lawn Fountain (Photo: Alice Joyce)

By any definition, this Southern California public park is unique: A must-see destination. At Greystone you’ll encounter restored terraces and extravagant sweeping lawns, myriad water features erected as focal points, and the property’s meticulously maintained stonework, exhibiting the extensive use of pale Indiana limestone to set apart the mansion building and its complementary landscape architecture.

Greystone Mansion Aeoniums & Stone Wall (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Oil baron Edward Lawrence Doheny’s son, ‘Ned’ had Greystone built as his family residence in the late 1920s, calling upon the celebrated architect, Gordon B.Kaumann, to design the estate. You may be interested to read more about the history of the place, including a murder-suicide just four months after the Dohenys moved into his new home.

'Mask' (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Greystone Park - Beverly Hills (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Greystone Mansion Terrace in Winter (Photo: Alice Joyce)

The formal gardens are enhanced by handsome slate walkways, echoing the Welsh slate used for the mansion’s roof.

Putti at Play (Photo: Alice Joyce)

For information on special events taking place, you may wish to phone the main office before setting out. Link here for a listing of all Beverly Hills Parks & Gardens.

Labyrinth Overlooking the Pacific: Serra Retreat

Alice Joyce — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:51:19 +0000

Stone Labyrinth (Photos: Alice Joyce)

Perched atop a knoll in the Santa Monica Mountains, Serra Retreat Center is a Catholic retreat operated by the Franciscan Friars. The 23-acre property features landscaped gardens brimming with flowers, succulent species, citrus, and rich arrays of specimen trees. Countless nooks for contemplation emerge in the blissfully peaceful setting, where a Santa Rosa-design labyrinth of smooth river rocks represents the artistry of Lea Goode-Harris.

Lovely tilework adorns the buildings and grounds throughout Serra Retreat. The retreat center’s history links to Malibu’s Rindge Family, the town’s founders who once owned the vast Rancho Malibu landscape. Another Rindge family property now owned by California State Parks, nearby Adamson House adjacent to the Malibu Lagoon is replete with the Arts & Crafts style ceramic tiles produced by Malibu Potteries, established by May K. Rindge.

Serra Retreat Gardens (Photo: Alice Joyce)

Winter Floral Color

Contemporary tiles decorate a sundial platform.

In a courtyard of Serra Retreat, one of many water features: An intimate grotto with historic tile surround.

Serra Retreat Stairway Tilework (Photo: Alice Joyce)

360 Degree Views

A gardenwalk at Serra Retreat moves from terraces to winding pathways encompassing sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean & Santa Monica Mountains.