Garden Journey continues........

The climb up from the Chinese garden in Biddulph leads to a representation of a ruined medieval building

into a Victorian oddity known as a Stumpery 

As the name implies a Stumpery is literally made from tree stumps. The pieces are arranged artistically and plants, typically ferns, mosses and lichens are encouraged to grow around or on the wood. Stumperies were a popular feature in C19th gardens, and may have been the result of the Romantic Movement which emphasised the beauty of nature but most likely they were the consequence of a growing interest in ferns

At the end of the Stumpery there are two choices - go through the archway and under the Watch Tower which leads back down into the lower garden or climb up through the Stumpery to a higher level in the garden 

The outlook from the  Watch Tower gives an interesting view along the 'Dahlia Walk'

At this higher level Bateman built his 'Egyptian Garden' complete with topiary pyramid clipped from Yew

The corridor running beneath the pyramid has two exits - this one leading to the Arboretum and Pinetum

the other exit is from this so called 'Cheshire Cottage' which eventually leads back down to the lower garden

The original Grange that Bateman bought in 1840 was burnt down in 1896 but by that time he had moved away to live in London

There is much more to see in this garden than I have shown - a Cherry Orchard, a Wellingtonia Avenue, Bowling Green, Rose, Verbena and Araucaria Parterres along with the Pinetum and Arboretum

Biddulph is a garden that provides all year round interest,

but now like departing swallows we too are travelling South for a few days

Linocut by youngest son, one of his greetings cards published by Green Pebble 

World in a Garden - Biddulph Grange

Like many gardens created in the mid C19th, Biddulph was designed and built to show off the large variety of internationally discovered plants found by those intrepid Victorian plant hunters. However, James Bateman went one step further and incorporated into his garden a varied series of gardens within gardens to amaze, impress and delight his friends and visitors.

James Bateman was a Fellow of the Linnean and Royal Societies, Vice-President of the Royal Horticultural Society, and author of two major works on the cultivation of orchids.

The garden is a cleverly planned framework of hedges, rocky outcrops, secret tunnels, and concealed pathways which lead into a variety of distinctively themed and styled gardens

The journey begins through the Mediterranean/Italian garden

Lime tree avenue

Lake surrounded by Rhododendrons discovered and introduced from the Himalayas 

One of the many tunnels to explore!

A hidden pathway with steps emulating a Himalayan mountain walk

with rocky outcrops covered in ferns, moss and blue Gentiana asclepiadea - willow gentian

The climb continues upwards, crosses a stream, then on through a network of rocks and stone passageways

emerging into a Victorian vision of China

Ascend the Great Wall of China to the Joss House - a small Chinese temple.

James Bateman based his design for the Chinese garden on the Willow Pattern plate

but it's onwards and upwards through the garden - more will be revealed next time......