Open Gardens

I have been perusing the Essex National Gardens schemes booklet for some outings. Not much near here but noticed there were 4 gardens open at Waltham Abbey about 10 miles away. It's a lovely drive anyway and I'm familiar with the area so at last minute decided to go on my own as nobody else was available or wanted to go.

The first one was medium sized and had masses of chimney pots in the front garden for sale.

The next one was bigger with a woodland walk and served refreshments. The woodland walk was a real surprise as it ran along the side of the road beside the main garden and it didn't seem that there would be enough room for it.

Couldn't refuse the tea and lemon cream cake. Delicious!

Garden number 3 was tiny and they had won awards for it. Trouble was there were lots of people there and in the small space it was difficult to look at everything properly. I like to sit in a corner and just look but I felt I had to get up to let others in. It was lovely though.

The final garden seemed small but there was more tucked away at the bottom. The pond ran into a little stream and then into a large fish pond where it was pumped back again. 

So a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon. I quite enjoyed being on my own because I could take my time and linger where I wanted. The gardens cost £6 for all of them and the tea and cake was £4 and all for charity so well worth it.