flora and fauna

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to visit gardens. I garden myself, but nothing like that seen in the grand formal estates dotting the English countryside. On this trip taken with my family to celebrate, among other milestones, my 30th birthday and the conclusion of my doctoral studies, I was privileged to encounter a range of gardens. Some were small cottage spaces, riotous with color. Others were exquisite creations requiring an armada of groundskeepers. Some were kept in hothouses. There were even community gardens in villages and city neighborhoods, much like the ones I've worked in at home.



Private cottage garden in Helmsley, north of London by way of York.



Garden gate in Oxford.



Helmsley community garden, heavy on the beans and leeks, appeared to be 3-4 weeks behind my veggies in Albany



Formal estate grounds at Castle Howard, approximately 30 minutes from the Moors and 30 minutes from the North Sea.



Herb garden at Castle Howard, adjacent to the Rose Garden.



Hydrangea display in the courtyard at the Victoria and Albert Museum.



Roof terrace next door to our flat in Camden.



St. James's Park near Buckingham Palace.



Courtyard garden at our hotel in Helmsley, the Black Swan.



Waterlily house at Kew Gardens outside of London.