From the Italianate terraces at Iford Manor

My day started early when dearest Helena presented me with a cup of tea, some birthday presents and a card from Bomble, who by this time was asleep next to me under the covers! It was the start of a lovely day which didn't go completely as planned (mostly by Helena) but nevertheless was a happy birthday.

She has written well about it already so I won't repeat that (as it is late at might now and I want to go back to bed to start again. We ended up as planned by visiting the Peto Gardens at Iford Manor near Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire which I loved. The weather was a bit dour with strong breezes, blustery clouds scudding above us and intermittent bursts of rain sometimes heavier than others.

This was our first visit to one of the houses in the Historic Houses Association which we recently joined and a very good encouraging start at that. The house was private but the grounds are opened for the summer to the public and were very exciting to prowl about in.

I will let you judge for yourselves by looking at this Flickr gallery where there are a number of other views both of the exterior of the manor and the river Frome, as well as details of the many terraced garden elements.

Do have a look at the Iford Manor website which tells the story of Harold Peto and his beloved final garden