Gentle pottering at Calke

I've been putting off going to Calke this year because of my dodgy ankles, but the sun was out and the sky was blue last week so I decided to try. From the car park the route to the garden is a bit up and down (or down, then up, to be more accurate) which I thought might prove too much for me but there's a buggy-shuttle to fall back on if needed. 

Even the walk to the walled garden involved sitting and resting but I got there!. 

The first thing to catch the eye is the auricula theatre. Now. with  a display of daffodils, muscaria, and primroses, its yellow and blue flowrs and bright blue shelves seemed to reflect the glorious sunshiny weather. 

We ambled onwards, through the orangery and out into the old walled garden were Portland ewes and their lambs were doing excellent work keeping the grass short, and then into the kitchen garden/orchard.

Like most vegetable patches, the kitchen garden was still fairly empty; early April is a time for preparation, not harvesting.

The orchard though was starting to come to life with white pear blossom against a backdrop of blue sky, and slightly more lilac-hued anemones.

On such a lovely day I could sit here forever. I found a spot at the furthest end of the orchard, under not yet blossoming apple trees, surrounded by daffodils and fritilaries, and just relaxed.

I always say it but one day I'd like to have a small space like this, with trees and spring bulbs, to sit and while the days away.

From here a brief meander took us down to see over Staunton Harald reservoir, then doubled back to the garden entrance, where, too exhausted to walk, I caught the last buggy trip of the day back to the car park.