A Birthday Treat

 When I looked out of the window yesterday morning I wasn't sure that it was the ideal day for a planned trip out. There was a very fine flutter of snow falling but fortunately the sun shine soon broke through. I had promised to take a close friend out for lunch to celebrate her birthday at the end of February as I hadn't been able to make it to her birthday meal. We chose to meet at a local National Trust property so that we could have a wander round the gardens after having  lunch in the restaurant.

 Tyntesfield House is a relatively new acquisition for the National Trust. It is a Victorian Gothic Style house that was put on the market after the death of the last owner Lord Wraxall. It was scooped up by the trust after some very rapid fund raising.

We have been visiting since soon after it was bought even before it was open to the public. It has given us the opportunity to watch its gradual and careful restoration over the last few years.

The ornate even over the top detail of the property is evident everywhere.

A lot of the restoration including the new roof has been carried out not only by artisans but has been used for the training of apprentices in these very specialist skills.

One building that we have seen restored from being virtually derelict is the Orangery. 

The gardens equally show the same ornate detail and are also being carefully restored with the help of a team of volunteers.

I couldn't help but spot a few possibilities for the winter photography scavenger hunt such as these holly berries. There is a whole avenue of these symmetrically clipped holly bushes but if you look carefully you will see that each bush has a different shape or size holly leaf.

Then there were plenty of fantastic shape trees with no leaves.

It was also lovely to see the number of spring bulbs in flower as we returned to the restaurant for a much needed cuppa!