Box blight

Went to the stunning Jardins Suspendus de Marqueyssac near Sarlat this morning. The weather was beautiful all day, not too hot but sunny.  Vikram set off to meet up with Hannah in Toulouse for 24 hours and so we were all squished into B&C’s car for the drive over.  It was a lovely garden to walk through, set around a small chateau that had stunning views across the river valley both from the front and from the far end of the bluff on which it was built.  There wasn’t much in the way of flowers and the planting was 150,000 box plants that were over 100 years old so of course all I could think about all the way round was BOX BLIGHT!  I didn’t see much evidence of it so I imagine they spray.  There was also a lovely woodland walk and a rather tasteful adventure playground.  The Belvedere from where we looked down the other side of the valley showed an interest in health and safety that I remember being significantly lacking when my sons were scrambling over monuments in Burgundy as children. 

We had a delicious lunch at the chateau, a menu of fresh salad with all the local picky bits and a walnut tart.   The children only really connected with the ice cream but the expression on their faces as they ate it was too sweet. 

We had a few hours in and by the pool which was good and then dealt remotely with a smoke alarm crisis in Little Slade.  

 The children were ritually tired out by jumping on and off beds in time honoured fashion.  Then we had a jolly dinner with B reviving his cassoulet and lots of wine and cheeses.