Monday's Memories: The Grounds of Highclere

There was an important scene in Downton filmed here.  Remember?

The trees were so beautiful.  KJ especially loved this one and had me take a picture looking up at the branches.  We were both glad I did.

The gravel path led down to the gardens.  You first walked into the Monk's Garden.

super-cool hedges

When we followed the path around the edge of the Monk's Garden we came to this sign.

I was so enchanted!  Literary references in a real-live English garden!  But you would not believe the people with accents that belonged there I heard walking by saying things like, "The Secret Garden?  Why does it say that?  It's not much of a secret with that sign up..."  Really?

It's the perfect Secret Garden entrance, isn't it?

Not long ago a friend told me there was a movie adaptation of The Secret Garden filmed at Highclere Castle.  So that explained a little more why they had the sign up.  But I think it would have worked even if they hadn't filmed a movie there.  Inside the secret garden we found beautiful flowers and the path that led to the views of the house I posted on Friday.

When we left the garden we walked across the other side of vast green lawn to reach Highclere's temple.  KJ had walked on ahead of me, and as I went to catch up with him I overheard this bit of conversation from a couple in their 20s.  I assumed they were students.

"You know, and then the Americans are all,

'I love your accent...'."

And I determined to never bring it up with the next person I met from England.  I wouldn't want to be an annoying American.

It's pretty beautiful, but the sign explaining it made us laugh.

We laughed imagining those old English aristocrats not being quite satisfied looking out at the beautiful rolling green hills from the house.  "You know, what I'd really like to look at from the library are some Greek columns."

Beautiful tree

Highclere was another place we hated to leave, but we were still hoping to make it to the home of the Dukes of Marlborough before closing time.  I wish I had more pictures to show you of the drive leading up to Highclere.  There were sheep grazing all about, and it was as lovely as you would imagine.  But my last picture from Highclere brought me a Lord of the Ring's reference from KJ.