Those who are acquainted with me and Mr. C know that we are quite fond of gardens. For those who aren’t, I must confess that we (or is it just him?) are also a bit…well…ambitious. You know the phrase go big or go home? Sometimes I think we invented that phrase.
Nearly ten years ago, Mr. C and his trusty Kubota tractor took down a large, somewhat problematic tree behind our house. The removal of the tree and its massive root ball left us with a rather unsightly, gaping hole. Ever the visionary and enjoyer of manly projects, Mr. C had the brilliant idea to construct a pond/rock garden where the tree had previously stood. But in typical go big or go home fashion, the project did not end there. One pond quickly became two. Then three. Then four. What we have today, nearly a decade later, are three smaller ponds that connect via rocky streams into a larger pond. What my husband has built is quite extraordinary.
Because of our affinity for gardens, we often seek them out when we travel. And if we can combine a visit to a garden with afternoon tea, then it’s an even bigger win! Such was the case the day we visited Greywalls Hotel in Gullane, Scotland.
Though we did not spend the night in one of the twenty-three beautiful rooms, we had a delightful champagne afternoon tea followed by a leisurely stroll through the gardens. Here are a few of the photos from that day.
“Greywalls Hotel is uniquely situated on the edge of Muirfield championship golf course with stunning views over East Lothian and the Firth of Forth. Overlooking the world famous greens of the 9th & 18th holes, it has earned itself a reputation as ‘a golfers’ paradise’!” -greywalls.co.uk
Isn’t Greywalls lovely? So peaceful and inspiring.
As always, thanks so much for popping by, friends. See you next time.
Cheers,
You and I have much in common. I too love gardens and gardening and also love the “go big or go home” lifestyle. 😉 Great post and beautiful pictures!
Thank you. 🙂 Are you able to have any sort of garden where you live now?
Greywalls looks delightful, just my sort of garden. But your project is stunning! What an undertaking – and how satisfying to see it evolve into a haven for wildlife and a sanctuary for you too!
Thank you so much, Sandra. We certainly enjoy it. Of course, it’s not all fun and games haha. Keeping it weeded can be a bit of a daunting task sometimes. But it’s worth it. Greywalls is a wonderful place to visit. I think I would enjoy staying overnight there sometime.
What an embarrassment of riches, so many lovely photos and two beautiful gardens. Well done to your husband for his energy and vision, not to mention hard work and determination. It can’t have been easy creating a garden like that, but it must be so rewarding. As you say, gardens are the perfect place for reflection and relaxation. I’ve never been to Greywalls, but after seeing your photos I’m keen to remedy that.
Thank you, Lorna. Our garden has certainly been a labor of love. I’m honestly not sure if it will ever be “finished”. 🙂 We are always changing this or that and my husband is always coming up with new ideas of things to add or improve. It definitely keeps us moving.
We visited Greywalls in 2014. The tea experience at that time was excellent. Unfortunately, we didn’t get back there when we were in Scotland earlier this year. It’s probably still just as good, though. The gardens are really beautiful.
Exquisite place to meandering the walks in every season.
Gardens certainly are therapeutic.
Your photos are lovely – Scotland gardens and and yours. Of course I prefer yours and enjoyed your comments.
Write on. (A generational pun). I may have to get back on Facebook just to read your blog. Any chance of copy/pasting to Instagram?