Chester Area Gardens

Earlier this month we spent a couple of days in the Chester area visiting some of the gardens there. Although the weather was forecast to be hot and sunny, it was cooler and overcast – not ideal for photography. However I did manage to take a few passable photos with my compact camera. Here is a selection:

Bluebell Cottage Garden and Nursery: This happened to be featured on ‘Gardener’s World’ so my wife could relate to it (I rarely watch this TV program). We visited it in the morning:-

Bluebell Cottage Garden: An attractive wooden building snuggles into a corner of the garden
Bluebell Cottage Garden: A 2-image panoramic view of the garden

In the afternoon we went to Mount Pleasant Gardens and Sculpture trail. This garden lies on a fairly steep hillside and not only features plenty of garden interest but also shows sculptures in the garden and in an adjoining meadow. I normally don’t show much interest in sculptures but I was blown away by some of them. Here are a few shots:

Mount Pleasant Gardens: A pond surrounded by shrubs and featuring sculptures in the pond and by the inflowing stream. A 3-image panorama
Mount Pleasant Gardens: A view across the meadow showing an amazing chariot sculpture
Mount Pleasant Gardens: A stunning sculpture of a fairy made from a tree trunk – it looks almost metallic and flows into the remains of a tree
Mount Pleasant Gardens: A garden view

The following day we visited Abbeywood Estate and Gardens – this place is a B&B, wedding venue and gardens; the gardens provide interesting backgrounds for the wedding photography. Here are a few images:

Abbeywood Estate and Gardens: A 3-image panoramic view of the gardens
Abbeywood Estate and Gardens: The Chapel Garden
Abbeywood Estate and Gardens: A flower bed by the Pergola Walk
Abbeywood Estate and Gardens: The ‘house’ by the woodlands

The next garden we visited was on the way home and one we visited before: Cholmondeley Castle Gardens. We don’t think it was at its best at this time of the year (it was glorious in the autumn (https://www.pmstudios.co.uk/blog/?paged=2&m=202110)) but here are a couple of shots:

Cholmondeley Castle Gardens: View across the gardens to the castle
Cholmondeley Castle Gardens: One of the ponds in the garden

Overall, an interesting visit to the four gardens although not my best photographically but photography was not the purpose of the trip.

Author: Paul L.G. Morris

I am an amateur photographer whose photography is mostly of gardens, nature and the rural environment. My specialities are close-ups, panoramic views, or a combination of both that I call 'Nearscapes'. I work mostly for my own interest having closed my business PM Studios Ltd.