Our first
visit to the gardens of Stoke on Trent was in 1986 for the pre-opening session of the
Stoke-on-Trent National Garden Festival at the Etruria site. The Stoke-on-Trent National Garden Festival was the second of Britain's National
Garden Festivals. It was held in the city from 1 May to 26 October 1986, and
was opened by the Queen. If not the first outside visitors we were
certainly in the first cohort. Boy did it rain, stair rods, We were frozen and
soaked. Didn’t realise the planting was just taking place and there was only
one daffodil in bloom. Took a ride round the site on an open sided mini train
and got even wetter!
Glad to say
todays trip to Trentham Gardens, just south of the city, was much
better. Lovely day to just meander round the Lake.
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| Mm which way to go next? |
At the centre
of Trentham Gardens is the mile long, Capability Brown designed, Trentham
Lake – you can take an end to end small boat ride. The contemporary
revival of the famous formal Italian Gardens Italian was led by renowned
designer and multi-Chelsea gold-medal winner Tom Stuart Smith.
To the east
of the Italian Gardens are the Rivers of Grass and
the adjacent Floral Labyrinth. Both these schemes were designed by
eminent Dutch plantsman, and Chelsea gold-medal winner, Piet Oudolf.
Marilyn was
off with the faeries.
The fairies were
created from galvanised and stainless steel wire, by local artist Robin Wight.
His daughter Amy Wight created the giant dandelions, in similar vein’ by the
lake.
Wooden
sculptures, created from fallen trees, are found all around the site and are
all hand crafted by Andy Burgess using only chainsaws and power tools,
and strange things hanging from trees.
There is much history to Trentham, including -
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| site of the old 'Playground of the Potteries' Lido |
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| the remains of the old house |
Well worth a visit if your in that neck of the woods.
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