On our last day of the tour, we drove to our last stop in the Lakes District, Holker Hall, a great manor house and gardens. The royal family members have been, and continue to be, frequently in attendance.
We also got to walk around inside the house with no barriers or ropes. Knowledgeable docents were posted throughout, and they had closed circuit TV; but it was special to be able to walk around so freely. The objects and docents’ stories were amazing.
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One of the gardeners gave us an interesting tour. One of the highlights was a 400-year-old linden tree (here it’s called a lime tree), the largest in the UK. The trees is heavily pruned each year to reduce weight on the branches. There is speculation about what causes the fluting of the trunk. One theory is that while young, several seedlings or sprouts grew close to the trunk, enveloped into the original stem.
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Using archways in gardens was commonly done in the Victorian era (or older) as a way to provide shade for the gentry to protect their delicate skin. These shade features also serve as focal points as they are often designed and pruned in attractive ways. See Day 5 for more information.
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More photos from the gardens at Holker Hall.
Just outside the Manchester Airport, Tatton Park was our last tour stop, a huge estate turned city park in recent years. It hosts an Italianate Garden, Japanese Garden, maze garden, elaborate vegetable garden, Fernery, and so much more. Not anywhere enough time to explore all the features and gardens of this huge property. Lovely.
Wednesday night was our last time together as a group. We had a delicious Farewell Dinner at the hotel, followed by warm comments by Alice, happy summaries offered by the members, and recognition of the guide and driver. Most members had to get to bed in order to leave at 6 for the airport. The rest of us could look forward to a more leisurely departure.
