My sister-in-law and her family live in Littlethorpe, so we know the village just on the edge of Ripon rather well. On Sunday afternoon, we walked there and then the tree of us - my sister, sister-in-law and I - walked down the road to Littlethorpe Manor.
None of us had expected something so beautiful, so well maintained, so large - and all that for a fiver, including tea and cakes in the well-stocked tea tent! The proceedings all went to charity; this Open Garden was part of the NGS Gardens open for charity. You can find out more about this here. Littlethorpe Manor is mentioned there, too: click here for more information.
Now to my pictures - be warned, there are LOTS of them, but I can't decide which ones to leave out!
Coming onto the drive, the house - not open to visitors - is to the right. We went straight ahead towards the grounds.
A small exhibition in what used to be the brew house shows the progress of the work since the 1980s, when the Thackray family bought the estate, and informs about future projects for the grounds:
Even the visitors' toilet was posh!!
Wildflower meadows - these never fail to make me want to have one of my own:
It had been a great afternoon out, and we hope my sister-in-law will be able to take my niece and my mother-in-law there in September for the next "Open Garden" day.
More events and a lot of information about the gardens can be found on their own website.
This is really an impressive garden. Very large and a wonderful design with vistas and features (arches, water, etc.) as well as a great variety of well grown flowers. Wonderful that your visit coincided with their open garden day!
ReplyDeleteYes, I was really glad I had found the information about the open day and the weather kept, although not sunny, dry!
DeleteThere were a few bits I wouldn't have added to the garden (not too happy with some of the statues in the walled garden, for instance), but the overall impression was... impressive :-)
I love this garden visit ... and, again, I'm amazed that you are able to take all these wonderful photos with NO PEOPLE in sight.
ReplyDeleteNot always easy, Jill; sometimes I have to wait a little before people stroll out of "my" view, and then be really quick before the next come in :-)
DeleteWhat a heavenly garden, beauty everywhere you turn.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! There were a few things I didn't like so much, such as some statues in the walled garden, but of course the garden reflects the personal taste of the owners and everyone likes things slightly different.
DeleteWhat beautiful gardens, I too love the wild meadows and whilst I don't have one, I do have a small 'wild flower' border every year, it really helps encourage bees into the garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat a job it must be to maintain the gardens and pond, all of which looked quite spotless. :)
It was as spotless as it looks in the pictures, Karen! The whole family - owners, their grown-up children and grandchildren - were helping with the open day, handing out drinks and cakes, but we were surprised to learn that basically it is a full-time team of three gardeners only who maintain the gardens.
DeleteAbsolutely stunning gardens - I think perhaps I need to hire their gardeners!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the wildflower areas. I just know the tea offerings must have been delicious too.
Mary, they work there full-time, but maybe you can convince them to do your garden when they have a holiday :-)))
DeleteThe tea offerings were fantastic, I would have loved to try them all, but there is only so much I can fit in my stomach at one go!
You always make me realise how little I know of Yorkshire. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, John! Compared to me, you still know tons more about places in the UK than I will ever learn!
DeleteWow! You MUST know how much I would have LOVED this! I am grateful you have shared this here and let me enjoy it with you! The gardens and the wildflower meadow are just gorgeous, I would have been over the moon!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was an unforgettable afternoon, Kay, and who knows - we may be lucky and they have another Open Garden day next year while we're back for another Yorkshire Holiday!
DeleteYes, I can just imagine to explore the grounds with you and how you'd love every moment of it!
Posh! A proper manor.
ReplyDeleteHow very English it all is, the gardens, the immaculate lawns, ponds, etc.
Not forgetting the tea tent with all its goodies. Indeed, how very English. That sort of thing happens in Valley’s End too, although the nearest thing to a manor we have is the Old Rectory, long sold off by the Church into private hands.
That's what we thought, Friko, How very English it all was. You can probably picture in your mind the sort of people we came across - some looking distinguished and elegant, some trying to be posh but failing, and others simply being their own charming (and a little rugged) selves.
DeleteLovely...I think for me the terrace/patio is best...as in easiest to maintain :)
ReplyDeleteThat's probably true, Christopher :-)
DeleteBut when you call such a place your own, you have people who maintain it for you...
Well if I ever get back to the area for a stay with my friend from Glasgow or with CJ then I shall have to try and time it for the open day. I would enjoy it but they would enjoy it even more and Friend from Glasgow would just never leave.
ReplyDeleteI am sure Friend from Glasgow could be accomodated at the Manor - there seems to be plenty of room in the house or one of the many perfectly maintained outbildings!
DeleteOpen Garden Day for charity does ring very English in my ears too :) Lucky you who happened to be in the aria fore the right day! (What seems a pity is if such a garden on all other days is closed to the public...) However impressive everything is, though, I think the wildflowers at the end still attract me the most out of the whole lot!
ReplyDelete... area, not aria ... (even if the lovely colours might tempt one to burst out into song!)
DeleteThe way the grounds there are composed one could certainly think of the whole as an opera with arias, Monica :-)
DeleteMost of the time, it's all just for the family at the Manor and their personal guests. But they do open for the public several times a year, and for groups upon arrangement.
I'm glad to hear it, Meike (that they open for the public more than just one day a year). (I can understand that they don't want to keep it open all the time if they live there!)
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