Tessa Spanton SWA Artist, tutor, writer



TESSA SPANTON SWA ARTIST, WRITER AND TUTOR

Welcome to my blog.
This is where I write about some of the things that inspire my work,
news of exhibitions and works in progress

Monday 15 March 2010

Wakehurst Place Sun March 14th



Wakehurst Place is Kew's country garden. It is a country estate in West Sussex with ornamental gardens, woodlands and an Elizabethan Mansion. Near the house there is a walled garden and a winter garden. The winter garden is one of my favourites as there is always something in flower throughout the winter and there is colour and contrasts from barks and foliage.







This eucalyptus has interesting patterning caused by strips of bark being shed.



Iris reticulata

At last some daffodils! They are so late this year. Today is Mothering Sunday and lots of mums will have been given bunches of daffodils and the gardens are busier than I have ever seen them.

The land slopes steeply away and paths follow a stream that winds down to the woods. At this time of year the banks are covered with spring flowers.








There is a rocky outcrop that makes a good viewpoint looking down over the lake and more woodland. I have seen pheasants, finches, nuthatches and tits here as there are some bird feeders.

The land sloping down towards the lake is quite damp and here I spotted these wild primroses..
They are only just beginning to come into flower but soon will carpet this area