Brodsworth Hall Gardens

It isn't really far from Derby to Whitby - 3 hours or so - but even so we decided to stop en route at Brodsworth Hall near Doncaster. It's a really convenient place to break the journey, just off the A1, and I'm a little surprised we've never visited before.

A Victorian country house, now owned by English Heritage, it has marvelous gardens which range from formal beds and lawns near the house to a temple-style summer house, to a rockery wilderness with tunnels and paths leading up and down the slopes, to woodland and rose gardens (a little past their past when we visited) to a pergola draped in grapevines. 

And, of course, there was cake :) 

All in all a good way to break the journey - far pleasanter then the motorway services we stopped at on the way home.
 

Somewhere new - Whiitby

I've holidayed here in the UK most of my life so I'm always a little surprised at the amount of places I HAVEN'T visited. 

Yorkshire generally is one. I've spent a couple of short breaks near Malham and Settle in recent years, but this summer was time to head for the coast, specifically the Whitby area.

We stayed a little inland, in the village of Sleights on the river Esk, and parked up to take the Park and Ride bus into town. Sitting upstairs on the front seats certainly gives you on interesting view of things, looking out over rooftops. 

The town itself was very busy so we headed over the bridge and up the many. many steps to the abbey which dominates the area. 

The next day we headed a little further afield, to Robin Hood's Bay which is delightful. despite the steps back up to the car park.

Both evenings we ended up at Sandsend just north of Whitby, eating chips and cake (not at the same time)

It's an area I'd definitely visit again, possibly for a longer period, as there are many more seaside villages and beaches to be explored plus the North York Moors inland. 

Hopton Rose Garden

Hopton Hall opens its grounds twice a year - in early Spring for snowdrops, and July for roses. This year I was waiting impatiently for the dates to slip by because generally everything in my garden was flowering early due to the warm weather, and I was worried the roses would have flowered and finished before Hopton opened its gates.

I needn't have worried though. The people at Hopton obviously know their roses well for when I visited at the beginning of July they in full flower with plenty of buds still to open.

Short hedges and tall conifers give shape and structure to the garden, and the roses in their many colours flower exuberantly within their 'compartments'.  

These marvelous scented deep pinks were my favourite - Guy Savoy - but every bed had something new and delightful in it.

 

June

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June was another busy month = 

My younger daughter and her boyfriend came to visit for her birthday,

 my grandson came to stay for school inset days, 

and the whole family went away together for a weekend at the end of the month  - so lots of fun, food, board games, and, while we were away, table tennis and table football.

Ashford 

There  were also afternoons out to see the well-dressings at Tissington, Ashford in the Water, and Youlgreave,  a trip to see the roses at Calke Abbey, a damp visit to Belton House, a hot one to Sudbury Hall

At home the  Lady Sylvia rose flowered - it's the only scented one I have in the garden and it's lovely = and the variously coloured pinks flowered - possibly their best year ever.

Redcurrants were ready to pick so I made Danish Rod Grod (Red Pudding) served with yogurt rather than cream

On my daily walks, I noticed blackberries and elderflowers beginning to flower.so the year is really moving on.

Youlgreave

Sudbury Hall