Blogs from Esher, Surrey, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Visit to The Homewood with National Trust colleagues I joined a trip to The Homewood with National Trust colleagues on 2 September. I met up with seven of them at Waterloo station. We took the train to Esher and caught taxis to Claremont Landscape Garden. I remembered Racecourse at Sandown, which we walked past on the way to Claremont Landscape Garden a few years ago. Upon arrival at Claremont Landscape Garden, we were offered complimentary refreshments including a chocolate cake at the National Trust office there. We were told that The Homewood has been opened to the public since 2003 but shown by only the guided tours, and the booking appointments have been managed by the Claremont National Trust office. Having known that we were volunteers at 2 Willow Road, the staff kindly offered us free ... read more

A beautiful garden with a lake and an unusual grass amphitheatre, Esher, Surrey, was initially designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, and Capability Brown in 1726. When the project was completed, the garden was described as the noblest garden in Europe. However, the historic landscape garden suffered long-term neglect. In 1975, the Slater Foundation offered generous support which helped the National Trust restore the historic landscape garden. In addition to restoring the overall garden and ornaments, the gardeners laid the footpath so that visitors can walk along the lake, parkland, and woodland and look round the Camellia House. Camellias bloom between December and May. The lake is home to black swans, ducks, and herons, and these waterfowl swim and rest at the island of the lake and grotto. In spring, snowdrops, daffodils, and ... read more

alas we are still travelling. travelling around mainly between our parents houses in search of food and shelter. ... read more