East Lambrook Manor

D and I made a very enjoyable visit to the garden of Margery Fish at East Lambrook Manor which is open to the public together with the Malthouse which houses exhibitions and has a teashop. Margery Fish was married to the editor of a national newspaper and they retired to Somerset in the late 1930's. Not knowing much about gardening she learnt by her enthusiasm and her mistakes over the next 30 years and created an old-fashioned cottage garden from a chicken farm. Margery became a gardening icon of the 20C and her garden is now Grade I listed by English Heritage. The 15C Manor is privately owned but makes a wonderful backdrop as one enters the garden.

We were also lucky to catch the art exhibition of Moish Sokal (who was there in person), an Israeli watercolourist who lives nearby and whose paintings are so inspirational - if I had the funds I would certainly buy one, probably from his India series, a country where he had spent some time.

N and I spent a pleasant evening with our new neighbours sitting in their summerhouse watching the sun go down.