Postcard 7: Aberglasney, The Garden Lost in Time

Strange Seasonal Mix

Autumn Colours

November at Aberglasney, the garden lost in time
and home of the poet, John Dyer,
Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK

'Hear the thrush, while all is still,
Within the groves of Grongar Hill'

John Dyer (d.1757)

Back in June 2009 (what a long time ago!), I decided to post occasional seasonal pictures of Aberglasney, the Garden lost in time, once home to the poet John Dyer. Dyer was the subject of one of Wordsworth's Sonnets. You can take a look at those first seasonal photos here. My photos for Spring 2010 are here.

I was in the gardens again last weekend, and thought it was about time I caught 'Autumn' on camera before the gales blew the leaves off the trees. We knew we might see some early Daffodils in bud, as they were there in November last year. Sure enough we were not disappointed. There were also some Primroses.

I see I try to take the following shots for my 'Seasonal Spotlight':

• The House at Aberglasney (partly open to the public, often with exhibitions)
• The view from Aberglasney to Grongar Hill (the view from my favourite seat)
• The Upper Walled Garden (with Celtic design flowerbeds)
• The stream in Pigeon House Wood
• The Cloister Garden
• The stream in Bishop Rudd's Walk

I'm afraid I failed to take a photograph of the stream in Pigeon House Wood this time. My back was turned as I was intrigued by the new bit of garden - and the fenced-off garden path!

By the time we reached The Cloister Garden, it was virtually closing time (4pm in the winter season), so we hurried on to the exit. I will post an old photo of the stalactites.  

So these are my Autumn 2010 photos (with the exception of the stalactites):

The House at Aberglasney (partly open to the public, often with exhibitions)

The view from Aberglasney to Grongar Hill (the view from my favourite seat)

The Upper Walled Garden (with Celtic design flowerbeds)

The new garden: the stream in Pigeon House Wood is behind us, i.e. this side of the rope

The Cloister Garden: stalactites in the Cloister

The stream in Bishop Rudd's Walk

Invertebrate Life

•  Back in the summer, Aberglasney was a riot of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. They were a joy to behold. You can see photos by clicking here to visit my Wild and Wonderful blog.

Pond Life

• We have seen newts and an eel here (but not at this time of year): my photo of an eel at Aberglasney is here)

Bird Life: on previous occasions we have noticed these birds ...

• Chaffinch
• Pied Flycatcher

Garden Plants

• Old fashioned rose (the summer scent has gone, of course, but the top photo shows the hips)

Wild flowers - seen last summer

• Ragged Robin

... and finally, happy memories of those lazy, hazy days ...

• Afternoon Tea on the Terrace.

For Aberglasney's literary links (Wordsworth, Gillian Clarke...), you may like to click here. I hope you have enjoyed your virtual visit to this wonderful garden.

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Postscript: for any who follow this blog and have been wondering where I have been, the answer is probably over at one of my other blogs. I may not post every day, but I enjoy 'mixing and matching' ...

• Caroline at Coastcard (largely poetry and writing)
• Wild and Wonderful (the natural world)

Do pop over to these and take a look ...