I is for ITALIAN GARDENS

Welcome to ABC Wednesday where this week we celebrate the letter I as in ice-cream, igloo, innovative, idol, injure, image, and irony.  I'd like to introduce you all to a place I visited while in south-east Wales this summer - the Italian Gardens at St. Fagen's National History Museum.  I had visited this immensely innovative outdoor museum back in 2006, but the month of November was not a fitting time to see any of the gardens.  I must say that I lucked out with the sky being grey but no rain fell.  Suffice to say that my goal this trip was to view the gardens on a brilliant sunny day!

From a historical standpoint, the gardens were created some time after 1864.  It is a walled area that was adapted in 1902 by Lady Paget so her children could go swimming in the pool.  The walls at this pool are now fitted with water jets that arc into the pool.  There are grassy steps, ornamental tubs that contain orange trees, and roses that are trained to grow upwards on the walls.  Lady Paget also had a room beside the area where she could do painting and enameling.

HRH the Prince of Wales, had the honour of opening the restored area as an Italian Garden on July 27, 2003.  I'm so glad my friend Jane and I decided to follow the path towards this spot.  We were getting tired from all the walking and had considered heading back to the car.  I'm so glad we didn't. Anyway, here are a few of my own photos of the gardens.  By clicking on the photos, you can see them in full screen format.

 

With immortal thanks to the imaginative Mrs. Denise Nesbitt, creator of ABCW, and to the imperturbable Roger, our administrator.  It's also imperative to give thanks to the impassioned
assistants who visit each and every contributor to leave invaluable words of praise.