The Secret Garden: Essex

This garden I discovered because I'm a runner!  It was located in Holland-on-Sea and I was only able to find one footpath that didn't seem to be paved.  I was happy to discover it, and near the "sea end" of the trail, I found this little garden outside of the owner's fence.  The "good" garden was entirely enclosed with a locked gate so I never did get to see what it might have to offer.  I suspect that these were the leftovers.  I enjoyed it every day after its discovery and made a short journey over to this area to see it change as the two weeks went by.  The tulips were replaced with the beginning of iris.  How I love spring!

Cambridge: Bike Capital of England!

One of my sisters had never visited Cambridge, so while in England, we made the train journey from Clacton to Cambridge.  We had a wonderful day!  It started with a visit to the Cambridge Botanical Garden, a walk over to Queens College and the Mathematical Bridge, a walk along "the Backs" and  a visit to King's College Chapel.  We also visited Emmanuel College, designed by Christopher Wren, and were delighted to find another lovely small garden behind the quad.  Bicycles abound in Cambridge.  I can certainly understand why, and it was interesting to see how many fences, railings, and walls had "No Cycles" posted on them.  The fence or gate is considered to be private property and I guess they can't accommodate all those bikes.  I noticed that often the signs were ignored.  This was my favourite bike that I spotted in Cambridge and there were many to chose from.  The racks at the train station were a sea of bikes!  Ride on!

Visiting Norwich

During my Sister Act in Essex, we spent one day travelling to East Anglia and the city of Norwich.  The three of us loved it.  It is a city of old churches and cathedrals and we visited on a particularly misty and fog laden day.  It added to the atmosphere.  This garden, called Plantation Garden, is located in Norwich and is an old Victorian style garden with an upper level for viewing and paths to wander at "plant level".  The stone work and brick work were decorative and whimsical.  The plantings were thoroughly delightful and it ended up being one of our favourite places to visit.  We also loved the "honesty box" at the garden entrance.  Sometimes, a small garden is such a treat.