Sheffield Park - Autumn 2009

The thing with Sheffield Park is that it is different in all seasons and never the same in any. We took a trip down there for the Autumn aware that we may not get down there at the height of the fall season but wanting to witness the change. It was a dull day but the colors emerged in all their glory. The drive there was a pleasant experience with evidence that the Autumn was coming; chestnuts falling, leaves turning and the planting alongside the main roads showing the colors. This Capability Brown joker has the right idea and as we stood on the bridge between two lakes we were impressed once more by the sheer audacity of design; the ability of a man to project his vision on a piece of land and create a thing of beauty that although artificial appears so natural.



I took nearly two hundred photos on the day and it was with some difficulty that I have selected these to show a little of what we saw on the day. From the view of the lakes - hence the panoramas above and the huge chestnuts that have fallen to leave their fascinating stumps behind to the exotic Nikau Palms with

their clusters of ripening berries there is variety. The gardnes are not a static display but one that will change with the seasons and als as plants dies off and need to be replaced.


Mostly we go there for the lake and the changing seasons but on each visit I am sure I see more and different aspects of the park that make it come alive. I know that both of us, my

Sister and myself were surprised by the impact it had on our senses and once more appreciated what the past has left for us to enjoy.






And if you think that what I have written is sickly then maybe you should go and see the place for yourself.


The simple truth is that we are attracted by gardens such as these and from what we learned on our journey the estimated number of visitors for that day was about two thousand. Which information was considerable because the Bluebell Railway was also open for visitors.






It remains only to visit the place in Winter when there is snow and enjoy the magic of a real winter garden. maybe at sunset with tall glasses of Rose wine and the promise of warm winter soup and pictures taken of icicles with the sun glinting through them. Or maybe watch for the winter fairies and feed the ducks and swans.