20 July 2015 - Stowe Landscape Gardens...thanks Capability Brown!

We are back in the routine of school again and the big kids are chugging along and applying themselves really well.  Luke, being Luke, is taking his time to get back in the groove but we'll get there!  His current module is about Australian Aborigines and he loved the art work project which involved dot art.  The school curriculum is engaging and interesting and the online resources are great if you have time to do them all.

Tim and I had an early morning walk to Tesco along the canal path.  What a shop - it is huge and seemed to stock everything like a Coles plus Kmart sort of shop.  It's always a bit of fun to wander around new shops and check out "novel" every day items.

One of several temples to explore

 With our National Trust membership and seemingly being in the heart of the country estate zone, we are spoilt for choices of where to visit.  Helen and Matthew had recommended Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire so that was our destination this afternoon.

Looking over the lake to Stowe House

Looking through the water-edge plants

Fake ruins - looking authentic!

Hand stand on the manicured lawn

 On the grounds of Stowe stands an exclusive school and a huge mansion but we went there to see the gardens.  It doesn't take too much imagination to picture royalty and other people of note wandering along the paths.  The property is vast and beautiful and for those not able to walk the distances, golf buggies are provided.  We walked of course and the kids ran!

This house HUGE nb tiny ladies on portico for perspective 

Huge lion with odd looking teeth!

 It was owned by the Temple family who at one stage were richer than the king! "The propensity to marry heiresses is shown by the family name being changed to Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville by the late 18th-century."(Wikipedia).  Sounds pretty pretentious to me!  Wouldn't like to be filling out forms too often with a name like that! Since 1989, the gardens have been owned by the National Trust.

The house is owned by a different trust and much as we have liked to have a quick peak, it cost and wasn't worth it as the kids have seen enough history and just wanted to roam.

Captain Grenville's Column

 With vast acreage to design (and show off) top garden designers were employed.  We are starting to be familiar with garden designers of bygone eras.  Stowe was designed by Kent and Bridgeman who put in buildings such as the Temple of Ancient Virtue.  My favourite name of all: "Capability Brown" was head gardener at Stowe from 1741-1751 and he was the brainchild of the Grecian Valley and natural feel of the gardens.

Temple of Ancient Virtue

 Capability Brown was responsible for over 170 gardens in Britain but declined to go to Ireland because he felt he had so much work to do in Britain. His gardens can still be seen at Warwick Castle, Blenheim Palace and even in bits of Kew Gardens.  He was known as "Capability" Brown, because he was reputed to tell his clients that their estates had great "capability" for landscaping. His gardens were a change from the formal gardens with expanses of grass and plenty of trees.   Apparently, even Catherine the Great of Russia loved the gardens so much that she copied some of the ideas. Brown's popularity declined after he died, "because his work was seen as a feeble imitation of wild nature".(Wikipedia).  Indeed when we walked around the gardens, they do seem "natural" and that in itself is an art on such a huge property.

Socrates

Temple of British worthies

Sir Francis Drake...and there was Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth 1, and others

Still and peaceful

Palladian Bridge

Gothic Temple built as a triangular shape - only has three sides

Alexander Pope (18th Century poet) penned the following in 1724:

"To build, to plant, whatever you intend,
To rear the Column, or the Arch to bend,
To swell the Terras, or to sink the Grot;
In all, let Nature never be forgot.
But treat the Goddess like a modest fair,
Nor over-dress, nor leave her wholly bare;
Let not each beauty ev'ry where be spy'd,
Where half the skill is decently to hide.
He gains all points who pleasingly confounds
Surprises, varies, and conceals the Bounds.

Consult the Genius of the Place in all;
That tells the Waters or to rise, or fall,
Or helps th' ambitious Hill the heav'n to scale,
Or scoops in circling theatres the Vale,
Calls in the Country, catches opening glades,
Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades,
Now breaks or now directs th' intending Lines;
Paints as you plant, and, as you work, designs.

Still follow Sense, of ev'ry Art the Soul,
Parts answ'ring parts shall slide into a whole,
Spontaneous beauties all around advance,
Start ev'n from Difficulty, strike from Chance;
Nature shall join you, Time shall make it grow
A Work to wonder at--perhaps a STOWE.'' (Wikipedia)

Palladian lady 2

The New Inn from 1717 - now open for viewing and well done as an inn of 18th Century.

Corinthian Arch

Dark cloudy sky gave way to patchy sunshine and it was, again, a perfect day for wandering around gardens and trying to pat untamed sheep and their lambs...mmmm....!  On our way home, we drove past the Corinthian Arch, whose grandeur probably said it all!