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
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
