Visits to sculpture gardens carry high hopes, but I usually come away feeling disappointed, in part due to the subjective choice but also because an artwork is not something to be viewed in isolation. So often wealthy galleries and private … Continue reading
Newby Hall, near Ripon in North Yorkshire, has been described as ‘one of the most elegant houses in the country’ and that is a suitably fitting description. Attributed to Sir Christopher Wren and enlarged and improved by the prolific 18th … Continue reading
I was first captivated by Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures in an exhibition of his work at the Palm House in Kew Gardens in 2005, and so the visit to the Chihuly Garden and Glass was always going to be one … Continue reading
It should not be surprising that some of the very best examples of Japanese gardens outside of Japan are to be found in the Pacific North-West, in view of the region’s close cultural ties with the Far East and the … Continue reading
A few years ago, on a visit to Versailles, I was shocked by the restoration of the Courtyard façade on the approach from the town. Built in the late 17th century for Louis XIV, the over-use of gold screamed wealth … Continue reading
The first time I remember an individual tree exerting a powerful effect on me was when I moved to a large shared Georgian house on the outskirts of Bath. Of course, trees provide us with shade, relaxation and aesthetic pleasure, … Continue reading