Squills galore at Clumber Park

RPS East Midlands had a day out at Clumber Park, north Nottinghamshire. The weather was wonderful for late winter. Stewart had booked us for the talk on the lives and loves of the Dukes of Newcastle under Lyne, the most notorious of which was the marriage of the heir to Lady Susan Hamilton who left him for Horatio Walpole. Walpole soon deserted her. The divorce was scandalous. Susan was one of Gladstone's rescued fallen women.

Anyway, enough of that. We saw the enormous walled garden that traps a micro climate within it such that peaches and apricots can be grown against south facing walls. The garden also boasts a national collection of rhubarbs.

The tree lined drive from the Pleasure Gardens and Lake to the walled garden is underlaid by a quantity of pale blue Scilla, aka Squills. That reminded me of John Betjeman's poem, 'A Bay in Anglesey,' pale blue squills and yellow rock roses.

We had latte in Central Bark, the dog friendly café although given the weather was so good, we could have sat outside the proper caff with Basil.
No gluten free sandwiches at Central Bark.

But the lady behind the counter came with me to show me where the very nice loos were. We had a good natter about this and that and I explained about coeliac disease. Her friend is waiting to hear the results of tests that will show if she's got it.

Extra is of Len and Basil sitting in the sunshine by the lake. Len just wanted to go home.