England: Hidcote

Today I really mean to show you photos with minimal comment.  Okay, let's see how this goes:

Wisteria engulfing wooden structure.

Rose on a brick wall.

Mahonia?  Hidcote ( a private estate) had no labels so I'm guessing on this one.

Larch offering its cones.

The larch itself.

Steps - wonderful steps!

My only successful (all things being relative) photograph of a blue poppy.

Hmmm . . . could that be another waterfall?

All right.  How many of you have come across the term "ha-ha" in your books?  You know, "They strolled out to the ha-ha to continue their conversation."  You are looking at a "ha-ha".  Where is it, you ask?  Well, that's the whole point, you see.  Or rather you don't see!  Basically the land appears to be level as far as you can see, but it isn't.  

If you were to walk up to where the sheep seem to be, you'd fall over the edge.

There is a retaining wall where you would be standing and a couple of feet down the sheep are grazing.  They can't get up and run all around eating everything in sight, but the lords of the manor have a wonderfully bucolic view to enjoy.  Why the name?  We were told the theory is that one would walk up to the edge, see the wall, and exclaim, "Ha-ha!"   Well, it makes a good story.  And according to www.dictionary.com :

ha-ha

² [hah-hah] 

noun

sunk fence.

Origin: 
1705–15;  < French haha  repetitive compound based on ha!  exclamation of surprise

Columbine and single peony - great color combination.

I have no idea what it is although it looks like a type of Mayapple.  I'll call it "Leopard Leaf".

A bower in the making.

A great alley between London plane trees (a type of sycamore), I believe.

I don't know what it is, but it has a super trunk and suitably weepy branches/foliage.

Orchids.

Pink poppy.

Purple and white wisteria seen through a mossy tree.

Type of fuchsia.  Breathtaking.

Okay, these are simply funny.  I wanted to get a photo of the wall and the building behind it (by the way, the gate is painted "Hidcote blue").  Guess what pictures my brother and sister-in-law were interested in?  I think the three of us must have looked like cartoon characters all pointing their cameras in different directions!

Then I decide to try a close-up . . . great hat, brother mine!  No fear, I did get the photo I wanted.

Love this photo.

And a really puuuurrrrrrple iris (like the paint commercial).

Just a lovely view to end today with.