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Hampton Court Gardens were the final gardening stop in our May trip to Europe last year.
It's important to finish a trip on a very high positive note, isn't it?
Hampton Court with its clipped trees as perfect exclamation marks was a wonderful choice for this mission.
It's important to finish a trip on a very high positive note, isn't it?
Hampton Court with its clipped trees as perfect exclamation marks was a wonderful choice for this mission.
Located just 18 kilometers from downtown London, Hampton Court is easy to reach by train. Our short trip on the clean and almost empty train car was comfortable and pleasant. (How to get there).
The history of the place is very interesting: Henry VIII, William III, George II and others. There is enough good information about the history of Hampton Court Palace and Gardens on the internet, so I'll focus on the pictures.
The history of the place is very interesting: Henry VIII, William III, George II and others. There is enough good information about the history of Hampton Court Palace and Gardens on the internet, so I'll focus on the pictures.
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More than Hampton Court Palace, I was interested in its Gardens.
I love different styles of gardening - cottage, oriental, and yes, formal.
My own garden is eclectic with some elements of formality. Geometry and structure help me to unite separate parts of my garden and give it some sense of peace and order.
I appreciate such features of garden formality as symmetry, balance, visible repetitive patterns, straight lines, right angles, variety of geometrical forms such as ovals, circles, triangles, etc.
All the elements of the formal gardening please the eyes of Hampton Court visitors - trimmed trees, shrubs and slipped hedges, topiary, classical urns, sculptures and fountains, gravel paths, expansive lawns, brick walls, lakes and canals, etc.
Hampton Court Gardens, being as formal as formal can be, include also luscious borders and flower beds that make them even more pleasant for the eye.
I appreciate such features of garden formality as symmetry, balance, visible repetitive patterns, straight lines, right angles, variety of geometrical forms such as ovals, circles, triangles, etc.
All the elements of the formal gardening please the eyes of Hampton Court visitors - trimmed trees, shrubs and slipped hedges, topiary, classical urns, sculptures and fountains, gravel paths, expansive lawns, brick walls, lakes and canals, etc.
Hampton Court Gardens, being as formal as formal can be, include also luscious borders and flower beds that make them even more pleasant for the eye.
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I love the monotonic beds of annuals punctuating the rolling expanses of grass.
Huge pyramidal yews (Taxus baccata) in the Great Fountain Garden look like giant chess figures on the perfectly mowed grass. Planted along the paths leading to the palace they are icons of this place.
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Some of these trees are several hundred years old, and they saw several king and queens!
The younger trees were planted historically correctly in places where the original trees grew.
Altogether, there are about 8,000 trees in the Gardens and estate.
The younger trees were planted historically correctly in places where the original trees grew.
Altogether, there are about 8,000 trees in the Gardens and estate.
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