A New Year and SUNSHINE!!!!!!

Firstly a Happy New Year to you all and did you see that sun yesterday!!!!?

I can't remember having such a glorious sunny day in what seems an age. I hope you all managed to get out and breath in that cool crisp air.

We decided to make use of our National Trust Family card and visit Wakehurst Place in Sussex.

All the years I have lived in Sussex I had not yet visited Wakehurst, yes shocking really. What was even more of a surprise was the ease of suggesting and of wanting to go and visit with boys in tow! (perhaps they too were fed up with being indoors cooped up with all the rain we have had!)

What a stunning place! The house was a complete surprise…..

….the details on door frames fire places and stairwell were gorgeous. My youngest asked "Mum, are there ever properties like this that are up for sale" Me: "yes, why?" Youngest: "can we buy one then?" Me: (coughing and spluttering!) "if only we could, I'm sure they would be well out of our price range" ….bless!

Wakehurst has the most amazing gardens and woodlands too. We took along different tree books (Youngest bought his Kindle! I can't keep up!) and attempted identifying various trees…..

….we ventured into the Himalayan Glade (No More Disco will know exactly where i mean!) and watched the stream trickle down to the lake.

OH got to wear his Christmas pressie…dashing!

Im not sure if you can see the seed pods in this picture, totally unexpected as we turned a corner, beautiful in their decaying state.

Then of course Wakehurst is also known for its Kew Millennium Seed Bank which I had forgotten to mention to the OH, he was rather amazed by this. It is amazing, you can view through to the laboratories, watch the botanists dry, examine and re-grow seeds that have been collected from all  over the world….

….there were amazing seed sculptures planted in various places all over the grounds too!

As the light faded and after sampling a fine onion and thyme soup in The Stables cafe we headed back….

…watching the sun…..

…set over the Sussex countryside with its special bank of seeds!