The Gardens of Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey has captured our hearts again as the eagerly awaited series began season three last Sunday here in North America. Filled with elegant costume, sumptuous period detail and lovely settings, the new season is, so far, as thrilling as the last!
Dazzled by the exquisite scenery, I began to explore the role of nature in life at Downton and discovered the gorgeous grounds of Highclere Castle, where it was filmed. The Highclere Castle gardens provided a beautiful backdrop reflecting a bygone era and showcasing the beauty of Edwardian style in landscaping. The Highclere Castle website features a stunning tour of the grounds with garden photos. Click here to view the link- it will make you want to visit as much as I do!
The Edwardian style of garden design includes a mix of informal and formal plantings. The structure of formal landscaping is intermingled with a new energetic use of herbaceous borders and non-traditional plants like wildflowers. Drifts of color were often featured in plantings to create a natural effect that contrasted the artificial style of gardens in the previous Victorian era. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement's dislike of mass produced goods, gardens of this era often included hand crafted and locally sourced materials and ornamentation. Overall, there is a natural rusticity and softness to the Edwardian garden that is captured beautifully at Highclere Castle. Isn't it lovely? I'm inspired...
Dazzled by the exquisite scenery, I began to explore the role of nature in life at Downton and discovered the gorgeous grounds of Highclere Castle, where it was filmed. The Highclere Castle gardens provided a beautiful backdrop reflecting a bygone era and showcasing the beauty of Edwardian style in landscaping. The Highclere Castle website features a stunning tour of the grounds with garden photos. Click here to view the link- it will make you want to visit as much as I do!
The Edwardian style of garden design includes a mix of informal and formal plantings. The structure of formal landscaping is intermingled with a new energetic use of herbaceous borders and non-traditional plants like wildflowers. Drifts of color were often featured in plantings to create a natural effect that contrasted the artificial style of gardens in the previous Victorian era. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement's dislike of mass produced goods, gardens of this era often included hand crafted and locally sourced materials and ornamentation. Overall, there is a natural rusticity and softness to the Edwardian garden that is captured beautifully at Highclere Castle. Isn't it lovely? I'm inspired...