Bowood 2014 #21: Rhododendron Walks

Just as the Rhododendron Gardens opened early because of the advanced state of the flowering season, so it closed early, with Saturday 7th being its last open day for 2014, and when I arrived for the final time of the year the admissions kiosk was unmanned with a note inviting free entry to all.

I walked down the main drive to the Robert Adam family mausoleum seen in this blip. It was commissioned by the 1st Earl of Shelburne's widow in 1761. He had purchased Bowood in 1754, and the gardens were first planted in 1854 by the 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne. They include over 30 hardy hybrids previously thought to be extinct. The present Lord Lansdowne has hugely expanded the scope of the 60 acre gardens during the 42 years that he has been in charge, largely featuring rhododendrons, azelias and magnolias, growing on a green sand seam that runs from Poole to The Wash on the East Coast.

I walked back along some of the other walks, and then drove to Bowood House and Grounds, passing a surprised muntjac deer, for coffee and cake to accompany some paperwork.

L.
18.6.2014 (1417 hr)

Blip #1295
Consecutive Blip #157
Day #1534

Lens: Pentax 17-70 mm

Bowood 2013 series
Bowood 2014 series
Bowood series
Bowood 2013-2014 (Flickr collection)(Work in progress)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Carole King - Some Of Your Lovin' (1966)
This was released (on the B-side of A Road To Nowhere) the year after Dusty Springfield's version, but as the arrangement is so similar, and as it was not the A-side, it may actually have been the demo for the original release. This was not Dusty's, as I supposed until recently, but was by a girl group called the Honey Bees, also a B-side, in 1965.