Great Chalfield Manor Garden

We are enjoying a few days of perfect early autumn weather. Oh, joy! 

Yesterday evening we visited Great Chalfield in Wiltshire and sauntered round the gardens of the medieval manor house in sunshine and lengthening shadows.

Music from a string quartet floated across the water.

The gardens are Arts and Crafts, with paths beside beautifully planted herbaceous borders. This viticella clematis, 'Mary Rose', has been flowering since June, the owner told me. It is on my must buy list!

There were excellent colour pairings

but the highlight for me were the 'rooms' created by groupings of massive yew trees 

with doorways cut and pathways through and vistas glimpsed beyond.

The trees are kept in pristine condition.
I love the way that this one has been cut to echo the architecture.

A window from the summer house looks onto the moat.

It was just the right time of day to visit the small parish church of All Saints

because the setting sun was shining straight through the window 

and lighting up the altar.

The church was filled with birdsong and looking up we could see a family of swallows, or swifts, flying among the roof beams.

My mother would have been delighted by the kneelers - she was a keen tapestry maker, working to my father's designs.

I had a lovely time!

An old map showing the position of the parish church and manor house, the moat and garden.
The property is now run by the National Trust.