Waking up from winter

Right. Let's get this out of the way.

I am certain that very few of my readers have the same outlook as I, in relation to the end of winter and the beginning of spring.  

This magnificent cherry graces the garden of one of our neighbours here in Epsom

It's not that I'm anti-spring as such, it's just that when spring arrives I know that summer is only lurking around the corner. *Groan*

Naturally you'd have to be very hard-bitten indeed not to find some joy in the season itself, and spring in the south-east of England is delightful, thankfully bearing no resemblance to the headlong plunge into hell that it can be in Australia - winter one day, then suddenly a baking 28ºC.

Spring in this neck of the woods is delicate blossoms, trees just coming into bud, lush green grass and gently twittering birds.

Kevin flanked by an avenue of daffodils at Polesden Lacey

Bountiful clematis at National Trust property,  Polesden Lacey

We've made the most of a couple of pleasant weekends to get out and see spring in action. It's early days, with the daffodils still in flower, the bluebells in abundant evidence leaf-wise but a long way off flowering, and most trees still in a state of winter nakedness.

Yesterday we drove over to Ightham Mote, a National Trust property not far from Sevenoaks.

The moat and gatehouse - Ightham Mote, Kent

The former stables at Ightham Mote in Kent.
Some lucky blighters now live here - it's been converted to housing

This was a new NT property for us, and we were lured by the prospect of a robust walk around the estate as much as we were by the appeal of the 14th century manor moated manor house.

The walk did not disappoint, with the 7km trail meandering along winding lanes, past oast houses and cottages, and up a pretty challenging incline to reach the top of Wilmot Hill - worth the effort for the magnificent views across The Weald.

What a beautiful day to walk the Estate - we did a 7km loop
with a couple of fairly challenging climbs

Selfie in the sunshine - with the glories of The Weald behind us
(on top of Wilmot Hill, Ightham Mote estate, Kent)

Yep - this one'll do, thanks.
What a fabulous spot for a cottage, all by itself at the base of Wilmot Hill

The house at Ightham Mote is ancient, with part of the building dating from the 14th century and additions representing various centuries beyond. The property was painstakingly taken apart and reconstructed - brick by brick, beam by beam - between 1989 and 2004 in one of the most expensive and lengthy conservation projects in the National Trust's history. Interestingly, the decision was made to restore some parts of the house not to their original state but to the way they were at the time it was bequeathed to the National Trust by American Charles Henry Robinson, in 1985. I agree with this course of action; National Trust properties deserve to show their complete history - not just their origins.

There's a real warmth to this place, and I personally loved the drawing room with its incredible hand-painted wallpaper (I am a chinoiserie zealot), the library with dancing sunlight reflected from the moat outside, and the two John Singer Sargent paintings - particularly the portrait of Elsie Palmer which was painted by Sargent at Ightham Mote back in 1890, and which only a few weeks ago went on display (it's on loan from an American art gallery). How lucky we were to time our visit so that we got to see this very striking portrait.

Cascading purple on the moat wall, Ightham Mote in Kent

Oh, the gorgeousness of this hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper!
It's been adorning the walls of Ightham Mote's drawing room since 1780

The orchard at Ightham Mote - fruit trees in bud, and a sea of daffodils

The central courtyard at Ightham Mote, Kent

Dwarf magnolia at Ightham Mote, Kent

We are too early in the season to enjoy the full bounty of spring, however we aren't complaining too loudly. Days like this are a constant reminder of why we've chosen to live in England. Rambling about the countryside for a few hours with blue sky overhead, bracing spring breeze at our backs, the chirruping of birds in the hedgerows - with no threat from venomous spiders or snakes - and centuries of history on display... the only thing to mar the day was the inevitable frustration of queuing for nearly 15 minutes to get a cup of tea in the NT café (and they had run out of Darjeeling so I had to make do with the rubbish 'National Trust blend'. Grrrr). 

But then I weigh up the pluses and the minuses and decide I should keep my whining gob shut - I remember the countryside, the sense of humour, and the mellifluous tones of Benedict Cumberbatch's baritone voice. I can put up with the odd queue.

Stay tuned for another post from Tuscany - we're heading back to Casa di Lyndall, where we spent Easter last year. We're keen to see how the garden has come on, knowing that Lyndall spent months doing back-breaking work to establish it last autumn, and can't wait to be back in the Chianti region generally where everything just tastes better and the Italians do everything with such style.

FYI you can live your own Tuscan dream for a few days or a week or two, as Casa di Lyndall is now up and running on AirBnB - click here for details.

Spring plantings at Polesden Lacey

Until next time,
- Maree  xo