I have been to many, many, many English gardens. Oh, I miss them! Some were part of the National Trust and some of them were with The National Garden Scheme……..we loved them all……but one year, I came upon a garden with a Potting Shed to stay in……It was booked to the gills for that year, so I put in my dibs for the next year and we got it! We had no idea how this would turn out….. I can say this garden, for us, was the best garden ever. It was magical, it was beautiful and the weather was perfect!
Here is a look at our Potting Shed in the garden…….quite the shed wouldn’t you say?
And, this is just one of the spots to sit and eat or have a drink in the evening and just soak it all in…….The garden surrounding the Shed, was acre after acre of beautiful plantings and artwork. You found something new at every turn…..and path…….
Everyday, we woke to some goody left for us in the Shed! Fresh lettuce just picked, homemade jam, fresh eggs from their chickens, cheese and wine, just one day of goodies here! Fresh flowers were picked everyday and placed in the kitchen…….. I wanted to stay here forever!
There were many cottage-style settings in the gardens, where you could sit a spell and watch the world go by! It was like an Alice in Wonderland Adventure! Where would the path take you next?
There were flower gardens, topiary gardens and vegetable gardens too……Take your pick, it felt like the Garden of Eden. There were chickens and donkeys and box turtles too….. Oh, and a lovely quiet dog!
And the lovely gardener couple, who owned the property lived there too. Being invited into their home was like stepping into another world…the old wood stove to cook on, the wooden shelves lined with jams and jellies, the creaky floors, the open fireplaces to heat every room…… The odd piece of furniture, placed just so and tiny, tiny windows……..that swung out on old hinges…….The Perfect, Perfect Garden !
PS More insight on these two! This property was part of a large estate at one time. When the owners passed the children wanted the property sold, so each could have their money. Now, this gardening fellow had worked as a gardener here since a young lad. He lived in the old, old, old gardener’s cottage, after he finally became the head gardener. Bachelor he was……… When the estate was put up for sale he bought 5 acres of it, including the original gardener’s cottage, the potting shed, the topiary gardens, and the vegetable gardens.
A new teacher moved to the village and her thing was donkeys, because her father had given her one at a very young age and she loved them. Where she went the donkeys went. The gardener and the teacher were properly introduced to each other and decided to marry. They said they were just about the only single folks left in the village, so why not? And he liked donkeys too! So, she moved in and brought the donkeys…… For wedding gifts they asked their friends to give them big rocks, so they could build a pond on the property. How can you not just love these two?
They still live in that tiny gardener’s cottage and I don’t think anything has ever been updated in there since time began……..it was wonderful! The Potting Shed has been updated with a very new and modern kitchen, a small, small bathroom and a living area on the bottom floor. In the loft, that you reach by going up Paddle steps, is the bedroom ,which is slanted just like the ceiling. You can stand up full height in the middle, in the corners not so much!
I hope you have enjoyed my SOS for this week!
The instructions for SOS are easy. The photos can be flowers, vegetables, a garden design, whatever, as long as it’s garden related and posted on Saturday! So, its six photos. Of Gardens. On Saturday. Easy Peasy. To see all the SOS’s look at SIX ON SATURDAY, hosted by the Propagator, to check out all of them each Saturday! See you next week!
ThatTravelLadyInHerShoes 
The gardener & the teacher… What a beautiful tale. Is maith liom go mór é.
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The idiosyncracies of this are wonderful. What a beautiful story and movie it would make with the right people.
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What a lovely story!! And what a fabulous place indeed! That is a place that I would just love to visit! Thank you for sharing.
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What a great story! I can’t resist a happy ever after. 🙂 🙂 So dense, the planting! It looks fabulous.
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What a beautiful spot to stay, I wouldn’t want to leave. Thanks for sharing
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What a magical spot! No wonder it’s fully booked.
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A beautiful place to visit ! Thanks for sharing…
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Just put it on my wish list!
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Definitely an Alice in Wonderland garden — so very, very pretty and evolving. Would love to see it!
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This bit of English charm is just what my aching body and soul need today. You have no idea. Thank you so much!
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If you want to talk about your week just email me! I’m here to listen!
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Simple story: A week ago my back went into spasm, then I lost my balance and fell three days later and banged myself on the door jamb. Simply ridiculous. Then the assault on the D.C. Capitol upset me so much that I’m rather shaky. However, I’m recovering my equilibrium. Tomorrow is Sunday again. And I can start over . . . . Thank you for your caring!
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Oh I hope your back gets better soon! I was concerned for you! I think we are in for some rough times but I am TRYING to stay positive! Our country will never be what we were used to growing up!
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So this was like a B&B? Sounds and looks absolutely wonderful and refreshing.
janet
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Yes, similar to finding a B&B, but you go through a vendor.
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Beautiful place to see. And amazing gardens.
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At first pass, the idea of staying in a potting shed doesn’t sound like the best holiday, but I can see it was a perfect destination.
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Yes, I thought that too until I saw how booked it was! So I thought there must be a reason everyone wants to stay here!
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Beneden in Kent? I know it well as I spent a large part of my childhood in Kent. The countryside around there is really lovely. The Potting Shed looks charming, I love the door with the tree roots/cuttings above.
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Yep….. there was a narrow dirt path through the countryside with stiles to climb over and all, that took you to a little restaurant/pub way out in the middle of no where too! I can’t remember the name of it though!
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what a beautiful story! the place is magical. thank you! 🙂
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What a fabulous place! Thanks for visiting The Glasgow Gallivanter- I’m glad to have found you in return.
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The Potting Shed?
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Yep…….
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It looks a beautiful place to stay, I’d like to go.
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