Ascott

Taking granddaughter home and returning back within a day is quite a long round trip. We took a picnic lunch to share on arrival, and then walked into the local town where all three of us had a delicious ice cream at an Italian galateria - we then bid our fond farewells.
To break the journey home we visited Ascott House and gardens in Buckinghamshire - a former c16th hunting lodge

Ascott was donated the the National Trust in 1949 by Anthony de Rothschild, a member of the same family who donated Waddesden - a French Renaissance style chateau. The property is filled with several outstanding collections including Oriental porcelain, c17th Dutch Master paintings and works by Gainsborough, Reynolds and Stubbs. The house also has some rare and exquisite items of c18th English and French furniture. Unfortunately photography is not permitted within the property as it is still lived in during the winter months by members of the Rothschild family.

The back of Ascott

Time was of the essence, we managed only a quick wander around the immediate garden before resuming our journey home

The south lawn takes in views across the landscape beyond

The topiary above is a sundial, but on that day the sun remained hidden in cloud

The sunken garden

Herbaceous Walk

We barely scratch the surface of the many different garden areas, but will call again.

A French Renaissance-style château

The front

The rear

overlooking the extraordinary flowered parterre pioneered by the owners

Every season the flower planting scheme is completely different using influences from tapestries, luxurious fabrics and carpets within the house.  This summers planting was inspired by a C17th Italian hanging of embroidered velvet on a cloth of gold 

You could be forgiven for imagining that we popped across the Channel to France for a few days, but this house lies within the heart of Buckinghamshire a little over an hours drive from where we live

This is Waddesden, built in the 1870s by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to house his superb collections of art, furniture, and precious objects. It is where he entertained both the fashionable and influential at that time

I have an aversion to ivy growing up house walls,

but what is not to admire here where the ivy has been trained to both enhance and embrace the golden stonework and looks simply stunning

Two-dimensional and three-dimensional garden features using succulents and various coloured small leafed bedding plants were also pioneered by the Rothchild family

Although Waddesden was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1957 by his cousin, the current Baron retains an apartment and is a major benefactor. He is actively involved in major restoration works at the house, and  his great interest in the arts, style, and design are evident everywhere. He owns Château Lafite Rothschild situated in the wine producing village of Pauillac in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. Across all vintages Lafite Rothschild is one of the most expensive wines to buy. It is available to purchase in the shop at Waddesden, along with some interesting antique pieces, and a range of goods designed by students from the Royal College of Art which were inspired by the collections at Waddesden

representing a giant candlestick symbolising the family's connection to the world of wine and a reminder of Waddesdon's tradition of hospitality. The bottles are set on a steel armature and lit from within by fibre-optic strands as daylight falls

en masse planting not a speck of soil to be seen

The Aviary is an eye-catching feature and home to rare and endangered birds, many with Rothschild associations

via 

A Rothchild's Myna bird from Bali

Sumptuous decor in the dining room where lavish diner parties were held

The Red Drawing Room was the main reception room for guests arriving at Waddesden

After dinner at Baron Ferdinand's house parties, the ladies would withdraw to this the Grey Drawing Room whilst the men enjoyed port in the Dining Room before re-joining them for conversation, cards and music

There are two towers housing spiral stairways - one for going up and one for coming down

An enormous neo-classical polished malachite urn presented to Baron Lionel de Rothschild in 1873 by Emperor Alexander ll of Russia

This magnificent neo-classical silver service comprising 120 pieces is a supreme example of the goldsmith's art. It was commissioned by George lll in 1770 and is one of only a handful of royal silver services to survive worldwide

The Waddesden collection continues to grow and a fairly recent commission is this contemporary chandelier made from broken china and bent cutlery. It is the central feature in a deep blue room,  conceived by German lighting designer, Ingo Maurer. It is called Porca Miseria which roughly translates as 'Oh my Goodness' in Italian

Most of the house can be visited, but two thirds into our viewing we abandoned the tour as we both began suffering from image overload

We journeyed onwards to a C16 Coaching Inn where we stayed on an 'Amazon Deal' which I have mentioned previously as being fantastic value