Jeremy at Frampton Court Lake

Helena booked for us to visit the Walled Garden at the Museum in the Park today. It allowed us and four other friends or family to have the use of the garden for 45 minutes, which was made possible because Helena is a ‘Friend’ of the museum. This was a great opportunity to show Kate and Jezzie the re-established wall garden.

We got there on time for our 11am entry and were pleased to also meet up with Gari and her partner Jeremy who've been particularly limited by ‘lockdown’, as they both have medical concerns and had to be completely isolated. Today was one of the first times they could get out and explore again.

The garden was wonderful as always. Its complete renovation in the last few years has transformed the abandoned garden of the former Stratford Park House, in which the museum is now found. It now has delightfully exuberant flower beds as well as more formal spaces, a wildlife zone, fruit trees, a herb garden and a newly built learning centre in sympathy with the natural environment. The garden has been closed up during 'lockdown' and is only now beginning to be made available to a few visitors of which we were some of the lucky ones.

After our tour and many photographs later, we headed off to a picnic at Frampton Court lake, which Helena and I now often frequent, but which was a new discovery for the others. We ambled over to the lakeside and set out blankets and the spread of food. I stayed standing and taking photos as usual. I hadn’t actually intended to go there as I have work pressing but the sunshine made me want to be outdoors and in and around nature.

As we were getting ready to go, some of the many geese waddled close by and stood just yards away, probably hoping for scraps of food. They ventured onto the bank at the edge of the lake and started to eat the grass and herbs. I turned my camera on them with big house of the Frampton Court estate in the far distance beyond the meadow. I couldn’t resist keeping Jeremy’s face in my shot. It isn’t very well composed but I’m pleased to see his quizzical look to remind me of our grand day out.