Walled Garden - Scampston - Yorkshire

http://www.aboutnottinghamshire.co.uk/
Scampston Hall is off the A64, north of Malton between Rillington and Knapton.  When I visited the House wasn't open, so that's a treat to look forward to in the future.

However, the Walled Garden was open, and although it was mid-October, which hardly seemed an ideal time, it looked absolutely spectacular.  The garden, which was used for growing Christmas trees and grazing sheep when Sir Charles and Lady Legard began the transformation at the beginning of this century.  They used garden designer Piet Oudolf, who won a Gold Medal and 'Best in Show' at Chelsea in 2000.

One of the first things that struck me was how every plant bore a striking, easy to read label - a real rarity I thought. It was possible to purchase, for 50p, a plant guide, so if you were knowledgeable about such things, this place would be paradise.

It was immediately obvious that evergreens, conifers and grasses played an important place in this four and a half acre site.  I had never seen yews trimmed like this, and they were really effective reflecting in the pond.

I also loved all the grasses, swaying gently in the breeze and planted in great, attractive swathes.

There was also an attractive fountain playing the middle of the garden, and even in October, an impressive vegetable patch which supplies the house and restaurant with a range of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers.

I also enjoyed the afternoon tea I had at Scampston!

I can well imagine that this lovely place is different at every season of the year, and am really looking forward to returning, especially now I've figured out how to find it, as the signage is just awful.  In fact it was quite a mystery to me how they get any visitors other than locals!

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