Glimpses and Glances

On the drive back from Devon back in August, we stopped off at Stourhead. The gardens came into my consciousness not long after I started studying architecture when we did a landscape project. During the history lectures, Stourhead stuck in my mind. The landscape was designed with a lake at its centre and from pathways around the edge you can peek through the strategically planted and beautiful maintained vistas, glancing towards the follies that are spread throughout the gardens. I was gasping wow the whole time and you can imagine it is a delightful place to be at any time of year.

Morris' House

William Morris appears to be the theme for our outings of recent. On Good Friday we headed as a family down to Standen, an Arts and Crafts house near East Grinstead, designed by Philip Webb, a friend of Morris. The interiors are a wealth of fabrics and wallpapers by Morris & Co. and had a real warmth and a feeling of being lived in. I’m starting to get an idea of what my favourites are, and seeing materials that have so many memories for me, such as Nanna’s sofas.; I didn’t realise they were a Morris creation. The architectural design of the house seemed to me like a collection of parts, and perhaps one day I can emulated the greenhouse and seating alcove in designs of my own.

Polesden Lacey

On Monday we visited Polesden Lacey and met up with family. It's a National Trust property, where the Queen Mother had her honeymoon no less, and I have visited it since I was a little girl with my grandparents. We explored the gardens and found the colourful hens and cartwheeled over the grass (no me!)