Framed!

A several-times-postponed first visit today to what is now our favourite garden - Houghton Hall.  A 1720s mansion in the Palladian style, built for Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, it has extensive parkland and an enchanting (and enormous) walled garden, divided in to quadrants which are themselves subdivided.  Just the walled garden took us nearly two hours to explore!  Beautiful, and really clever designing (I benefited from a running commentary from J, who has just qualified with a diploma in garden design, so knows her onions, as it were...).  Lots of imaginative use of sight-lines, symmetry and geometry.

Houghton Hall has a permanent collection of sculptures in the grounds, including 'Waterflame' by Jeppe Hein, a fountain which seems to defy the laws of physics by simultaneously spraying water and flames.  We are still scratching our heads as to how it's done...

And each year there is a major exhibition - last year it was Damian Hirst, this year it's Henry Moore (see extra).  Several huge pieces are dotted around the grounds, their locations making good use of the sight lines and really adding to the visitor experience.

A calm, grown-up and beautiful place - we are contemplating getting a season ticket...