I had always wanted to visit the National Trust's Stourhead Gardens, near Mere in Wiltshire, so when we found ourselves staying in the next county, Dorset, we decided to make the journey.

Stourhead is a 1,072-hectare estate at the source of the River Stour. It includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, the magnificent gardens, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been part owned by the National Trust since 1946.

With hills, water and classical architecture overlaid by a fabulous collection of trees and shrubs, Stourhead was described as ‘a living work of art’ when first opened in the 1740s.

The centre piece of the garden at Stourhead is the lake, which dictates the path you take and the views you enjoy. The damming of the river and the creation of the lake was an ambitious undertaking. Henry Hoare, who had bought the Stourhead estate in 1717, and his architect Henry Flitcroft planned it before work began on the garden buildings including various temples, such as the Temple of Apollo, seen towards the rear of the picture.

The original planting of the garden was undertaken by a team of 50 gardeners, who planted and tended beech, oak, sycamore, Spanish chestnut, ash and holm oak.

Tags:   Wiltshire Stourhead Stourhead Gardens lakes National Trust

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I was intrigued by the ripples caused by the swans, which in turn affected the reflected light from the late afternoon sun.

Stanton Country Park is near Stanton Fitzwarren in Wiltshire, in between Highworth and Swindon.

Tags:   Wiltshire Stanton Country Park swans ripples lakes

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During our short break in the Cotswolds area we stayed for a night at the Stanton House Hotel at Stanton Fitzwarren, which is on the edge of a country park to the south-west of Highworth. It's a former country manor house with beautiful gardens designed by the renowned garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932).

Tags:   Wiltshire Stanton Fitzwarren Stanton House Hotel gardens country gardens Gertrude Jeckyll

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During our short break in the Cotswolds area we stayed for a night at the Stanton House Hotel at Stanton Fitzwarren, which is on the edge of a country park to the south-west of Highworth. It's a former country manor house with beautiful gardens designed by the renowned garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932).

Tags:   Wiltshire Stanton House Hotel Stanton Fitzwarren gardens Gertrude Jekyll

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During our short break in the Cotswolds area we stayed for a night at the Stanton House Hotel at Stanton Fitzwarren, which is on the edge of a country park to the south-west of Highworth. It's a former country manor house with beautiful gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll. Judy certainly approved!

Tags:   Wiltshire Stanton House Hotel Stanton Fitzwarren

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