A cup of coffee and a rose or two

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It’s a damp old morning in my corner of the UK, so what better thing to do than move on to my second coffee (ok- third!) of the day and wander through some roses with you?  A few weeks back, just before the colours started to turn, I made a Sunday afternoon visit to The Gardens at Wynyard Hall. In the profusion of colour that this Autumn has been, I almost forgot all about it.

Sir John Hall bought Wynyard Hall Estate in 1987 and has turned it into a truly sumptuous venue. I was lucky enough to attend a wedding there a few years ago and the stained glass panels high in the beautifully imperious house remain a warm memory.  Many years in the planning, Sir John says that even as a boy he dreamed of owning his own rose garden. He has enlisted RHS award winning landscape architect Alistair Baldwin and rose expert Michael Marriott from David Austin Roses to help make his dream come true.

I think he probably succeeded

I think he probably succeeded

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The setting is a nicely weathered wall garden, and the planting is lush.  Newly opened this year, it was designed to be a rose garden for the 21st century.  It takes inspiration from the geometric order of Persian grids and the Moorish influence of a bubbling rill, crowned by the raised beds of the traditional English kitchen garden.

Of course, there are tea rooms

Of course, there are tea rooms

And a South Border to attract the butterflies

And a South Border to attract the butterflies

An old bell set high in the wall

An old bell set high in the wall

Wonderful Cosmos

Wonderful Cosmos

And a handsome rill
With interesting shadows
And beauties such as this!

You can wander through to the gardens of the Grand Marquee, if there is not an event in progress.  The view sweeps down to the lake and there is still more planting to be admired.  A little old, and something new.

Not much beats an old urn

Not much beats an old urn

Except maybe an urn in an archway
Surrounded by lovely planting
And hot borders
Delicately blushing Cosmos

Delicately blushing anemone

And thistle delight!

And thistle delight!

Set beside glorious old walls

Set beside glorious old walls

But inevitably the stars of the show are the roses.  The visitor guide lists 135 species but I am not going to attempt to name them all for you. (huge sighs of relief!)  We’ll just share a small gallery together.  I hope you enjoy them!

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114 comments

  1. Oh, I just love Roses Jo! They do tend to cheer a person up. I love the delicacy of the petals and the smell. So dainty but yet so strong.

    Amazing shots of all the beauty around you there darling. What a wonderful place to enjoy a lovely walk. Thanks for sharing. ♥

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      1. Oh lovely! I love fog! I hope you got some foggy shots as well, and yes, it will keep them nice and cool. 😀

        You’re very welcome sweetie. Have fun! ♥

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  2. Lovely images Jo – I adore Rose gardens. Visited the International Test Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, a few years ago. Could have spent hours there. Unfortunately, hubby was with me and limited my camera time to 30 minutes LOL. (We did have to get to the coast that day.) But I still pulled off a LOT of rose photos in that ‘short’ time. And the aroma is still with me. 🙂 – Suzan –

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  5. I had the strangest sensation when I opened your blog, as though I was actually smelling that rose. Your photography is so clear, the gardens so beautiful.

    On Sunday, I’ll be visiting the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. on my blog. It’s a beautiful garden, although my photography is amateur.

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    1. I’m right alongside you with the amateur photography, Nicki. My little camera amazes me every time! I love roses and gardens so I’ll make an effort to stop by yours. 🙂

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      1. Roses were my mother’s favourite flower, she would have loved to have seen them. I have a special yellow rose in my garden, in her memory. Thinks are good here Jo, although I had another scare with the hubs recently and he ended up in hospital again – but all ok now. Hope you are well.

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  18. I love your composition of the rill, I’m rather partial to a nice rill 🙂 The roses are the stars though, the David Winter/old rose types are gorgeous, good work honey!

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  20. These photos are magnificent, Jo. The roses pulsate, that old wall and urn please my ruinous heart and your words thrill: “beautifully imperious house” especially. Our bloomings meet. I have a rose post scheduled for tomorrow but my photos aren’t alight like yours. I visited mine at dawn.

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    1. Dewy dawn roses sound wonderful, Meg. 🙂 We really did have a golden day for our visit (actually a snatched hour towards the end of the day, but very beautiful 🙂 ). That wall and the shadows playing around it were really lovely.
      As always, you are very generous with your praise. Can I impose on your good nature and direct you back to my Autumn walk on Monday (when you have a moment). I have a feeling you’ll like the trees.

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