Stourhead - English Landscape Garden - National Trust

A simply stunning English landscape garden ( http://www.uk-tourist-attractions.co.uk/leisure/visit.cfm/l/stourhead/745/ ), Stourhead presents you with a series of vistas across the valley to several follies, temples, bridges and Gothic ruins, each framed by mature trees on the hillsides. Those same garden structures that gave you great photo opportunities on the decent reveal their true beauty when viewed from the lakeside, where the reflections of Stourhead's mini architectural marvels leave you completely in awe of Henry Hoare II - the creator of Stourhead in the 1740's. As we strolled around the edge of Hoare's lake, a choir standing on the lawns near the Bristol Cross (tall needle like structure) burst into song and the acoustic effect of the valley and the sight across the lake were just wonderful. The only downer was the weather - a bright start to the day turned to drizzling briefly when we arrived at Stourhead with dense overcast skies, and only about a 5 minute break when the sun broke through. Hence most of my photos are a little over-tweaked in Photoshop to overcome the flat lighting - at least that's my excuse! I hope to make a return visit for some Autumn colour - I can hardly wait!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Stourhead
• Wiltshire
• landscape
• garden
• Henry Hoare
• lake
• temples
• gothic
• Pantheon
• Temple of Flora
• Temple of Apollo
• photo opportunities
• bridge
• trees
• rhododendrons