Houghton house, six great gardening movies, summer outfit ideas and so much more on weekend meanderings.
Good morning friends. It’s time for weekend meanings with Kim and Juliet. If you are new to the blog, this is our weekly series where we share all of the things that piqued our interest and caught our eye this week.
This week I joined Kim, Juliet and 4 other blog friends for “what to pack for…” and I do not mind telling you that it was WAY out of my comfort zone. It was a fun post and all of the ladies had wonderful suggestions just in case you need packing tips for any upcoming trips to tropical destinations, the city, wine country, or the beach.
Last night we went to a friends for cocktails and appetizers and I stayed up way too late so I am dragging this morning while I finish this post. Thankfully we don’t have any plans for the rest of the day. What about you? What do you have planned for the weekend?
WEEKEND MEANDERINGS
Houghton Hall
Have I got a treat for you, the magnificent Houghton Hall, the family home of the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, his wife Rose and their three children. One of which was a page at the coronation of King Charles.
The house is home to the largest private collection of model soldiers, an award winning walled garden and white fallow deer.
A little history according the the Houghton Hall website:
Built in the 1720s for Great Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall is one of Norfolk’s most beautiful stately homes and remains one of England’s finest Palladian houses. A collaboration between the two defining British architects of the age – Colen Campbell and James Gibbs – and with lavish interiors by William Kent, Houghton was built with an eye to reflecting the wealth, taste, and power of its owner. During the eighteenth century, Walpole also amassed one of the greatest collections of European art in Britain, and Houghton became a museum to the collection. The centuries that followed would see the fate of Houghton and its remarkable contents hang in the balance.
On Walpole’s death, Houghton passed to his son, and then to his grandson, the 3rd Earl of Orford, who was forced to sell Sir Robert’s picture collection to Catherine the Great of Russia due to debts. At the end of the 18th Century, the house was inherited by the 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, Sir Robert’s great grandson through his daughter, Mary. The Cholmondeleys only lived at Houghton for about ten years before moving back to their ancestral seat in Cheshire. Houghton was frequently on the market during the next century, and was rented out to a succession of tenants from 1884 to 1916. It was only when the future 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley and his wife, Sybil (nee Sassoon) took on the house just after the First World War, that it was restored to its former glory.
While the house is incredible, it is the garden that I am in love with. In 1991 the current Marquess wanted to create memorial to his late grandmother Lady Sybil Cholmondeley.
With the help of his head gardener, Paul Underwood, and later designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman, they converted the 5 acre walled kitchen garden into several ornamental gardens, including a double-sided herbaceous border, an Italian garden, a formal rose parterre, fruit and vegetable gardens.
The double herbaceous border is my favorite part of the garden, it is my dream to create my own some day. If my HOA let me have a green house it would be even better.
Over the last 23 years the gardens on the West side of the house have been restored and turned into a contemporary sculpture garden. In fact it is the hope of Lord Cholmondeley that Houghton Hall becomes a “must see” destination of contemporary art and sculpture.
If you live close to Houghton House or will be spending a significant part of time there you can volunteer to work in the garden. Can you imagine how much you would learn working alongside the head gardener?
Houghton House is open for the 2023 season from now until October 29. Are you planning a trip to the UK anytime soon? Houghton House might be a place you would like to visit, the stunning interiors, gardens and sculptures and special exhibitions are all amazing.
More About Houghton Hall
The heavenly home of Houghton Hall
Thrilling New Sculpture Show At Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall: Portrait of An English Country House
6 Great Gardening Movies
Now that I am trying to learn more about gardening I find myself drawn to books and movies about the subject. Here are 6 gardening movies I discovered lately that I think you might enjoy too!
A film about Frank Cabot and the remarkable story of creating Les Quatre Vents, his twenty-acre English style garden one of the greatest gardens in the world.
Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf
An immersive and meditative documentary that reveals how the revolutionary landscape designer, Piet Oudolf, upends our conventional notions of nature, public space, and, ultimately, beauty itself.
A prison inmate with a green thumb goes on to compete in a national gardening competition. Based on a true story.
Landscape gardener Mary Reynolds overcomes all obstacles to turn her dream into reality – to win the Chelsea Flower Show.
A female landscape gardener is awarded the esteemed assignment to construct the grand gardens at Versailles.
The Secret Garden(1993) or the new one from 2020 with Colin Firth.
Sweet, beautifully told story based on the classic story about a lonely orphan girl who goes to live with her uncle in a forbidding British manor house.
Gardening Links
America’s Most Beautiful Gardens
Gardner’s Gardener: The Man Who Keeps the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Bloom
My friend Jeanne reccomended Gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
30 Dreamy English Gardens That Feel Like a Fantasy
The Best Botanical Gardens in the US.
If you enjoy English gardens you won’t want to miss The 11 Most Beautiful English Gardens to Visit.
Trolls: Save the Human by Thomas Dambo is currently on display at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Weekend Links
The Designers Guide to Choosing Lampshades
It’s Time to Let Go of These Pandemic-Era Habits
What Brands Are Actually Behind Trader Joe’s Snacks?
Heaven has a bathrobe-clad receptionist named Denise. She’s helping TikTok grieve
The Time Arthur Conan Doyle Got Pranked So Hard He Claimed Fairies Exist
The Best Streaming for Francophiles
Soaring Pasta Prices in Italy Cause Crisis
What is the Oxford comma debate?
In Case You Missed It
Run don’t walk to your library or to your local bookstore. On Monday Musings I shared From London With Love, my favorite book that I have read in a long time and that is saying a lot. I am not sure if it was because the book is set in London, in a bookstore or both.
This caftan is under $40 and it is beautiful and comfortable.
Blue and white lovers this caftan is for you. It’s $25! I have it in the red/orange and am pondering the gray and white as well.
These are just two of the outfits I shared in “what to pack for”, you can see the rest in the post as well as all of the links to the other 6 ladies. There were great packing tips for California wine country, Lake Tahoe, Pinehurst Resort, NY city, the beach, the boardwalk or any upcoming trip you have planned.
Grilling season is upon us, on Friday Favorites I shared this grilled corn and zucchini salad, as well as, summer books, lots of interesting links you may have missed and a few finds like this wicker market bag with leather trim and these colorful glasses.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
I hope that you enjoyed meandering with me this morning. If you missed any of the previous Weekend Meandering posts you can find them all here. Have a lovely weekend I will see you on Monday for Monday Musings.
When you leave here don’t forget to pop over visit my friends Kim and Juliet.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLE
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Good morning, Elizabeth … I’m dragging a bit this morning too. Looking forward to iced tea with lunch and to fully revive. Looks like I know how I’ll be spending my weekend … watching gardening documentaries and movies. What an amazing compilation of great viewing … thank you!!! So proud of you for stepping outside your comfort zone and joining the fun packing post collab. I enjoyed learning about Pinehurst, what a beautiful area. But still debating whether or not I should mention it to Jim! Hope you have a great weekend! xo
Houghton is quite impressive!
Elizabeth, Wonderful to read more about Houghton Hall.. This is on my list to visit ! Wow amazing the family came back to the house after all those years! The gardens are stunning. I would love to see so many of these estates and it’s so wonderful Britain has done a good job of preserving them. The gardening films are all now on my watch list- thank you so much! Funny how I am so into gardens and things now- is it an age thing? I am fascinated with them..
Thank you again for the lovely packing post and joining the group. You look beautiful in the caftans and COS dress.. You should model more.. I want to get to PInehurst now. I loved hearing more about the charming village..
That book set in London-I have to get it…and the Mango straw tote is nearly identical to one I bought from them last year and it’s been the best bag! Love the new look this year of it.
I hope you are having a lovely weekend. It’s been a busy month for you too.
xo
Wonderful book recommendations! Just finished With Love from London and it was delightful. Also read The Fair Botanists and the imagery of moving the plants was magical. Your booklist on Amazon is a great resource. So nice to find another Susanna Kearsley fan. She is not as well known as I think she should be. Lots more to enjoy in your post. Thank you so much!
Thank you Didi! If you have any book suggestions please feel free to share them. I love learning about new books. I LOVEd From London with Love and the Fair Botanists, Did you read The Curious Life of Elizabeth Blackwell? It is also very good. Have a wonderful week.
Hello Elizabeth,
Wow! You sure sis your research on garden movies. I’m intrigued! Also, your book recommendation sounds wonderful. Anything set in London!
Have a great week!
xx
Thank you Annie. I hope that you find one or two to enjoy! Have a wonderful week. ~