Batsford Arboretum

Having just got back from Wales, it seemed fitting to spend St. David's Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi) looking at daffodils. Went for a wander around Batsford Arboretum.

 

Although it's been the wettest winter on record, raining nonstop since October and drowning the inhabitants of Somerset, it's also been one of the mildest in a long time. There has been no snow, and temperatures have remained above freezing for the most part. Even when we visited Ullswater on Boxing Day the bulbs were starting to sprout. So it feels as though Spring has arrived early this year. It was so warm today that we sat outside to eat lunch!

Especially odd when you look back at last year, when we were snowed in.

The church door at Batsford reminds me of the Norman stone carvings at Quenington church, but they're too clean to be original.

Exquisite marble carvings. Apparently: 

Batsford Church, Gloucestershire 

Frances Elizabeth Mitford, donor of the church, d1866. Designed by William Burges, carved by Jacquet and Nicholls

There wasn't as much grandeur in the graveyard outside, which was fairly small and conformative.

Nice piece of circular calligraphy from the turn of the century.
'Preciouse gift beyond words - Benjamin, 29 April - 22 June 1999'

I thought originally that the name in the heart was 'Billy', but I played about with PhotoShop and discovered it's actually Kitty - the name of my car! This was carved in 1900. Strange to think that's 114 years ago.

There were a lot of flat graves here, many without headstones, and some with no identification at all. I liked the detail in the Celtic cross on this one. Nothing ostentatious, just neatly done.

There is often beauty in things no longer living...

The above seemed to be some sort of climbing hydrangea, its dead flowers looked as though they were carved from wood.

If I had a Gothic garden, I would fill it with these.

Highnam also had a bridge just like this one.
I wonder if someone sells them job-lot to stately homes?

Hermit's Cave

The only drops of snow I've seen this year.

Who's this fella...

Buddha!

Love the shadow this tree casts.

Diwrnod yn hapus dewi sant!

A shadow of my former self.