Prior to visiting England, I was never much of a garden person. You could say I really didn’t appreciate a garden or all the work that goes into making a garden beautiful.
But after seeing the amazing gardens at Hampton Court, Kensington, the Cotswolds, and other places in England, I was enamored with the vibrant colors and lush landscapes of the quintessential English garden. From my experiences in England, and other European countries, I have to say that England has some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. And, those classic English gardens are some of the things I remember – and miss – the most about Britain.
Today, I am happy to report that I was able to fill a little of my looming English garden void. My team from work ventured to a local botanical garden for lunch. It turned out to be one of the most memorable work-related lunches I’ve had.
Although the botanical gardens spanned for, what seemed like, miles, we only had about 20 minutes to amble around the gardens after our lunch in the cafe. Luckily, one of the first gardens outside the cafe is the English Walled Garden.
The garden was a true tribute to the gardens of England, complete with ivy, topiaries, and manicured hedges – but no garden gnome!
We first entered the garden through a charming little blue gate, that clearly shown of British style.
From there, we saw fountains, specialized flower gardens, and quaint covered walkways.
As well as pokey little steps leading to other flower-drenched areas.
And, just check out this cool checkerboard design…
Whimsical and elegant, all at the same time!
Seeing the gardens in all of their splendor gave me a familiar melancholy feeling. I was happy that, for even a short time, I was able to relive my British travels, but sad knowing that I would not be headed to England anytime soon.
So, as I expected, my trip down England’s memory lane was quickly brought to an end as we all headed back to work.
I was back in my cube 15 minutes later, planning my next trip across the pond. Sigh….
