On Sunday, the day before all this snow, we went to Nymans, an old manor house in Sussex, now famous for its gardens. The original house was built in the 19th century, using recycled architectural materials, so that it has all the air of a mediaeval mansion. The owners then set about developing the gardens into one of the most important in Britain. So successful was the garden that many plants today bear the Latin tag
Nymansensis, meaning that they were new species developed in Nymans.
Sadly, the house burnt down in 1947 and the then owners decided to donate it to the National Trust, rather than try to renovate it. Not sadly for us of course, since it is now open to the public. The National Trust decided to keep it as it then was, with the result that the garden is now graced with a most attractive 'mediaeval' ruin.
But, oddly, part of the living accommodation survived and is also open to the public. That's the lounge above. And the sitting room has a very early television - the only one I think I have ever seen with curtains.
But it was the gardens we were there to see and there too misfortune had struck. The Great Storm of 1987 had destroyed nearly 500 trees from the estate, totally annihilating the pine collection.
Nevertheless there is still much to see. Here are some of the quirky topiary,
which became a maze for little ones. Here's Isaac, in there somewhere.
And of course, Imogen had to join in.
Amazingly, considering the sub-zero temperatures, parts of the gardens were positively springlike.
But I saw on the website yesterday that the gardens and house are now closed by snow. What a difference a day makes.
