July 2020 Archives

Despite Osterley Park and House being one of my closest National Trust properties, I have only just made my first visit there. I had originally planned to visit the house and gardens in March, but the lockdown meant and end to those plans and many more plans. I was finally able to visit the park and gardens on a rainy Sunday morning in the middle of July. The house is still closed to the public, but visitors can book over a week in advance in order to visit the open parks and gardens, although many are still closed.

A lot of the park is freely open to the public and is a popular place to walk and run. The National Trust owns the land behind the house and the gardens, and these are shut unless you have booked in advance. This area was much quieter. To get to this area, visitors must walk around a lake with some views over the house. The lake is popular with ducks and geese.

The house (or mansion) is a large Georgian style building. An original house occupied the spot in the mid-1500s, but the existing one dates from the 1700s. The house passed ownership many times. 

The stables are located next to the house and is now the tearoom and cafe. The cafe was open for takeaway or sitting outside. I believe that the gift shop would be here too, but that was shut.

At the ticketed point, we were welcomed by an information board. 

I enjoyed a scone and tea on one of the benches on the edge of the gardens.

A garden with primarily wildflowers is located at Osterley, but it hasn't been too kept up with the lockdown. The plants looked pretty regardless of this.

At one end of the garden is an orangerie.

I had a walk around the grounds, which is a circular path a little over a mile long. I had a nice brisk walk. The trail is mainly through forest. There are a couple of play trails for children here.

At the back of the house is a pasture that had cattle in it.

On the exit where the lake was, I saw the baby ducks that I saw earlier marching on top of the lilypads.

I am hoping to return when the house is opened to the public; I hope that this will be soon and that it is safe to do so.

This was my first visit to National Trust-managed Greys Court, a Tudor-style house and gardens that make up a working farm near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. I visited during lockdown, and a one-way system was in place to visit the gardens. There is also a short trail bordering alongside fields with sheep and Hereford and Belted Galaway cattle. The gardens consist of old rose bushes and wisteria. A fortified tower, dating from the mid-1300s, is also located in the grounds as well as castle remains. The house can usually be visited for tours but is currently shut due to coronavirus. 

The walk started at a little row of cottages, but due to coronavirus, a lot of flowerbeds throughout the gardens had not been planted and were not looking great. 

Some perennial flowers had come up, and they were in bloom, and there were nice views of the tower from the gardens. 

One of the unique features are the very old wisteria vines growing, supported by wooden frames. I bet these look beautiful in May. They were just huge and twisted branches during my visit.

The house at Greys Court was occupied by writer Ian Flemings' mother. It was donated to the National Trust in 1969. It has also been used as a filming location for "Downton Abbey", "Agatha Christie's Poirot" and "Midsomer Murders". I am looking forward to touring the house at some point and hope that the properties can open again soon.

After walking the gardens, I had a walk on a short trail between pastures. Sheep were in one, and cattle were in another.

A Chinese Bridge is also located on this trail. I also saw a couple of red kites (bird of prey) flying overhead here. I've seen one on about half of my visits to National Trust places this summer so far.

After the visit to the property, I made my first restaurant visit since enjoying working lunches in London in March. I visited my local Toby Carvery in Denham. Of course, the atmosphere was so different with changes in place due to the coronavirus, and the restaurant was very quiet. I have missed going out to restaurants.

I hope that things can get back to normal soon.

Sheffield Park and Garden is a National Trust property in East Sussex that I visited on Sunday. The garden was designed with influences from 'Capability' Brown, and it consists of four lakes with pathways around them and through the wooded areas. The park land is on the other side of the road and contains various walking trails through pastures of sheep; it used to be a deer park and even a World War II camp. I only visited the garden on my visit.

Upon walking down the trail, the beautiful house (Sheffield Park House) comes into view. The house overlooks one of the lakes. It is a private residence and cannot be visited. At this viewpoint is one of the lakes, and I was greeted by many ducks looking for food as I was the first to enter the park.

I had a quick walk through part of the wooded trail and saw the magnolias starting to bloom. The lake's lily pads had flowers on them.

There were so many gorgeous views over the lakes and landscaped garden with the different tree varieties and colours. I am sure that this place looks pretty in the autumn, but I think the best time of year to visit is in June when the rhododendron are in full bloom because there are many of these around the garden and lakes.

I had the afternoon tea by the lake, and upon sitting down, three ducks came up to me. A fourth bossily came over and soon brought her tiny baby ducklings with her.

The baby ducklings are so small and fluffy. The mother duck sat on top of them to keep them warm and dry before flying off to leave them huddled.

Glimpses of the house could be seen from the lakes. There were so many attractive views.

The tree below is a giant redwood tree, and it is 140 years old. This is the largest tree in the garden, and these are the largest trees on earth. This tree should at least live to be 3,000 years old, and it will be massive then.

Have you ever visited Sheffield Park and Garden? I recommend it, and the time to visit is probably in early to the middle of May when the rhododendron are in full bloom or in the autumn with the autumnal colour.

I've been reading a lot more this year due to lockdown. I have replaced walks, trips into London, and visits to pubs and restaurants with reading because it is safe and does not require going out of the house where it is possible to come into contact with others and get sick. Reading helps to escape into a new world while the real world is, quite frankly, pretty poop right now. I have always loved reading, and I have some new books to share with you all.

"Nothing But Blue Sky" by Kathleen MacMahon
Penguin Books, releasing 30 July, 2020
This book follows the story of a man who has lost his wife in a tragic accident. The book covers their stories and comes to life through glimpses of details of their time together and their time spent on holidays in Spain. The description of the settings and the moods of the characters flow beautifully, and this was a difficult book to put down.
My review: 9/10

"Fey's War" by Catherine Bailey
Penguin Books, releasing 23 July, 2020
This is true story that actually reads similar to a fiction novel. The story follows the life of a young mother and wife whose family plot against Hitler and who finds herself the victim of the Nazis during World War II. Her young boys are taken from her while she is put under arrest with a group of other plotters and placed into prisons and concentration camps (although looked after more and made sure to keep alive) and placed on the run from the Russians. The story follows a sense of loss, struggle to survive, romance, and a wide range of emotions as it details the horrendous crimes of the Nazis against their own fellow citizens. This is really an eye-opening book, and it was one that I struggled to put down.
My review: 9/10

"Olive" by Flora Harding
HarperCollins, releasing 23 July, 2020
This is a cute little book about Olive and her girl friends and the choices they make with having children (or deciding not to have children). The book focuses on these friendships and how they navigate motherhood or choices to follow a different path. 
My review: 8/10

"If I Had Your Face" by Frances Cha
Penguin Books, releasing 23 July, 2020
Taking place in Seoul and New York, this book follows the lives of a group of girls and their older neighbour as they fight for survival and independence in materialistic Korea. The book provides a slice of life into the personalities and the characters and the girls, but it left me wanting more. 
My review: 7/10

"White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo
Penguin Random House, released 7 February, 2019
This book discusses the concept of racism as told by a professional who goes into settings to teach people to see the problems with society and "learned society problems" inherent and subconscious. It is a hot topic at the moment. I've read other books on the subject previously, and this is a decent book on the matter but felt it could go into detail a little more and the writing comes across slightly condenscending. However, I feel this is a decent introduction book covering the problems and perhaps helping to gain some insight on change of thought and behaviours.
My review: 8/10

"The Blitz Detective" by Mike Hollow
Allison & Busby, releasing 23 July, 2020
A mixture of murder mystery and historical fiction, this book promises to be the start of a new series featuring Detective Inspector Jago as he investigates a murder in east London during the World War II Blitz. He is led to track down the criminals through a series of discoveries, and a side story starts as a love interest in the form of an American journalist who arrives in London to write about the war in London. It is a promising new story with an introduction to some great characters, so the next installment should be even better.
My review: 7/10

Bethnal Green became a popular spot for street art back in 2016, and one of the murals was by Australian street artist Adnante, who lives in Melbourne. The mural was painted in 2016, and it is located on a back street that follows the rail line known as Clare Street. The street is closest to Cambridge Heath overground but is between that station and Bethnal Green on the central line. I walked by this mural at least a dozen times before being able to photograph it without anything in front of it. Adnante creates realistic-looking portraits and women and aborigine people are two favourite subjects. The artist started spray painting as a teenager and was influenced by Renaissance painters.

I love this artwork because it is very striking. The other artwork featured include Mr. Cenz (the left) and Amara por Dios (on the right).

I last covered work by 616 on my blog a few years ago as this artist has not created anything for awhile, but I have been going through my street art photographs in lockdown and have found some that I took a few years ago and have not published. One of my posts about the artist can be read here: Street Art: Ben Murphy and 616. In short, 616 creates tribal-design murals and curiousities around east London's streets. 

I've not seen much from the artist in a few years, and s/he usually does not create large-scale artwork.

I thought that I would include another series of street art that I had photographed in the past but never got around to sharing. The artwork was located on Long Street, and I believe that this area has been rebuilt in more recent years, so I do not think the murals exist. There were three murals in a row (and other murals on the street), and the artists were The Krah, CodeFC, and Otto Schade.

First up, The Krah is a group of artists from Athens who are based in London and have painted on the streets before with a rough illustration style. Murals of female subjects often feature in their works, and there is an element of fantasy. Read my last post by The Krah here: The KRAH Paints in East London.

CodeFC is another London-based artist, but their work in London is rare. They painted a lot during the 2012 Olympic games in London. Their work can be seen here: Street Art: 2Square, CodeFC, Jim Vision, Mr. Cenz, Peter Drew, Zadok 

Otto Schade is the busiest of the three featured street artists, and his work features often in London. On Long Street, his mural depicts a bird in flight using a style of illustration featuring a 'ribbon-like' style to create the bird; the bird feathers are blue, yellow, and pink. My latest post about the artist can be read here: Street Art by Otto Schade.

Hopefully things will feel safe and I will be able to get out to see what has happened with the street art scene in east London in the coming weeks.

Nymans is a garden estate set around a romantic ruins and house in West Sussex, and I visited in mid-July. This was my first visit to Nymans, and my visit was post-lockdown and arriving just after mid-day. The walk through to the gardens was not too busy, but the gardens were busier than I would have liked them to be with some people being a little too close for comfort.

The garden was developed in the 19th century by the Messel family, and it is one of the National Trust's most popular gardens. They have been managing it since 1953, and the gardens look beautiful no matter what time of year it is. 

I visited post-lockdown, and a one-way system was introduced to prevent crowds. Unfortunately, this meant that certain places in the gardens were busier than others, and I could not really hang about to enjoy some of the gardens.

The gardens did have some nice views over the Surrey Hills.

I had cream tea.

I enjoyed a glimpse of the ruins.

Some of the parts of the gardens were very crowded.

Unfortunately, all of the houses and buildings in the National Trust properties are shut to the public because of the pandemic.

Again, some of the areas were especially crowded with a constant stream of visitors.

Although the plants did look beautiful, they have not received the prime care over the months, so hopefully my next visit to Nymans will be more special and less crowded.

On the way back through to the exit, I spotted this little hopping bird that got really close to me; it hopped right up to me.

Have you even been to Nymans? What is your favourite season to visit it?

Good morning; this morning, I bring to you my latest visit to Mottisfont walled gardens at Mottisfont Abbey. Having previously visited Mottisfont I wanted to visit Mottisfont in June this year in order to see the beautiful roses, but although some of the National Trust properties were open from mid-June, I did not leave home until lockdown had ended at the start of July. I hope to see the walled gardens in rose-spelendour next year. I just hope that things are "back to normal" then. A couple Fridays ago, I booked to go to Mottisfont. Any National Trust properties must be booked about two weeks in advance in order to manage numbers for social distancing.

My last visit to Mottisfont was at the end of July last year, which I posted about here: A Day at Mottisfont Abbey (Hampshire, England). During this visit, I enjoyed the day with friends after having lunch at a local pub before visiting the house at Mottisfont and an exhibition. The gardens were similar to what I saw today, but last year's had a little more care because the lockdown has made it difficult to maintain the gardens. 

The house at Mottisfont was closed; at the moment, all National Trust houses and buildings are shut to the public. English Heritage has opened most of its properties, but I don't think National Trust will be doing so until at least September, if they do at all this year. Also, the properties book out well in advance. Those who don't book on the Friday will likely miss out.

With social distancing measures, visitors could not get close to other visitors, and one-way systems were in operation. A lot of the garden was roped off, and the narrow walkways meant that one-way systems were set up. I was not able to take too many photographs or close-ups due to having to maintain a walking pace so that I was not holding up the people behind me. Unfortunately, this meant that I could not enjoy at a leisurely pace.

In early July, the pears are growing and will be ripening soon. I also saw apples.

Most of the roses were dried up, unfortunately. I think I was probably three weeks behind its prime. I did see a few roses in the shadey areas near the wall.

The colours were lovely, and my photographs do not do it justice because I really could not hang around to enjoy them and get little details. But, I think you can get the idea.

The middle of the gardens and benches to sit were all roped off.

The lavender has come out in bloom and is beautiful with amazing fragrance and a lot of bees, moths, and butterflies flittering about.

I hope that normalacy can return soon and that I can visit the gardens next June in order to see the rose displays at Mottisfont Abbey walled garden.

Oh My Cakery! is a bakery and cafe located in Milton Keynes, and during the lockdown, they have been posting out their products to their customers. Their packages are delivered throughout the UK, so you can still get your sweet fix. Packages contain a range of items, and I purchased the "American Treat Box", which was a special box created for Independence Day. So, what came in the box?

Peanut Butter and Jelly chocolate.

Cookie dough brownie.

Cookies and cream cake slice. (This was my favourite item by far in the box.)

Cinnamon Oat Crunch Cheesecake Blondie.

Cherry Pie Pocket. (I heated this up in the toaster, but the icing came off.)

S'mores cookie sandwich.

I found the cake slice to be yummy, but I wasn't impressed with the rest of the box. I definitely think that cake is the speciality and I would purchase cake from them again.

Over the past three months, I have managed to use up quite a bit of products except for make-up and perfume because I had no reason to wear it. So, the spring empties mainly consist of skincare, bath, and home scent products. I thought this would be a good place to post what I found useful and what I would buy again. So, let's begin from left to right.

Penhaligon's 'Duchess Rose' perfume: This is a grown-up rose-scented perfume sample from Penhaligon's. I had received this sample because it came up when I completed the online profiling. Would I buy it again? I would not buy this again because I prefer other brands for rose-scented perfume.

Tresemme renewal hair and scalp: This is a little shot of hair mask to help with moisturising your hair. It's an intense moisture surge for your hair, and I normally use these when I've got a lot of split ends that tangle, and it helps de-tangle them. Would I buy it again? I would buy it if it is on offer; there are a couple similar hair masks that I preferred a little more, but this does the trick and is a good product.

bareMinerals skinlongevity vital power infusion: In short, this product works as a day and night cream to help keep skin looking young and glowing. Would I buy it again? The product did seem to benefit my skin by adding moisture and prevent it from looking too dull or oily, so I'd possibly try it again.

MayBeauty The Incredible Pore Strip with Charcoal: This packet contains two pore strips that can be put onto skin to remove blackheads and oils and to deep-clean pores. Would I buy it again? I'm not sure; I've used similar products before, and I have read that these types of products can be harmful to skin because they can remove the necessary oils. I probably would not purchase again.

Yankee Candles 'Rhubard Crumble', 'Oud Oasis', 'Summer Peach': I used three Yankee candles of different scents and thought that I'd review them. The rhubarb crumble and summer peach are self-explanatory scents; 'Oud Oasis' is a relaxing or spa scent with a woody tone. Would I buy it again? I disiked 'Rhubarb Crumble' immensely because it smelled toxic and fake, and it gave me a bit of a headache. 'Summer Peach' was a fresh smell but it did not carry at all. 'Oud Oasis' was a nice scent, but it's one that I wouldn't rush out to buy.

Acqua di Parma red candle: I am not sure of the actual product scent as this candle was inside of an advent calendar, but Acqua di Parma is a luxury Italian brand, and the candle was a luxury item with a wonderful soothing scent that was perfect for relaxing and reading a book; it made my bedroom feel like a luxury hotel. Would I buy it again? I would, so please let me know if this scent is for sale and what it is because I have a feeling it may have been a one-off scent.

SkinPep dark circle eraser: This product promises to boost collagen under the eyes to make dark circles disappear. Would I buy it again? I did not notice a difference, so it is a 'no'.

TempleSpa Keep Calm soap bar: This is a soothing soap with a luxurious spa scent that lathers well into a moisturised lather. Would I buy it again? No, I wouldn't particularly search out this brand as there are plenty of nice soaps.

Fcuk body wash: This shower gel has a grown-up scent that could be used by both men and women, and I enjoyed using it. Would I buy it again? No, I would not specifically look for this item over other shower items, even though I did enjoy using it. There are other products that I prefer.

Bath & Body Works 'sea island cotton' hand soap: One product that I used a lot of was hand soap. This scent is from one of my favourite brands, Bath & Body Works. The scent smells like fresh cotton with a sea-salt twist. This is their moisturising soap. Would I buy it again? I enjoy this brand, so I would buy it again. The scent was okay too.

Byredo Blanche hand cream: Another product that was popular this spring was hand lotion, and I used up this tube. I loved the scent of the cream, and it just dissolved into my hands. The cream has a luxurious and relaxing scent. Would I buy it again? I would because I loved the scent and the fact that it just dissolved into my skin.

REN V-Cense revitalising night cream: This product should be applied at night to help keep skin moisturised. Would I buy it again? No, I did not really see any benefits, but it was just a small sample size.

Molton Brown rose hand wash: I have always liked the Molton Brown brand, and this item came in a gift set. The rose scent smells beautiful and not too over-powering, and the product lathers well. Would I buy it again? I would buy Molton Brown products again. I am hoping to buy this gift set again because the builders threw away the little stand that the soap and lotion sit on.

Boots fresh banana bonanza hair mask: This is a banana-scented hair mask product in a little plastic replica 'milk bottle'. Would I buy it again? No, it was a cute product, but there are better hair masks. 

Boots fresh sweet as honey bath milk: Adding this honey-scented product to the bath water will give your skin extra moisture. Would I buy it again? No, I did not care for the scent of the product, and these products tend to make the bath too messy.

7th Heaven Manuka Honey peel off mask: This sticky mask promises to remove dead skin cells and deep clean the face Would I buy it again? I like 7th Heaven products, but this was probably one of my least favourites because it was so sticky and was impossible to keep out of hair.

Lush 'Once upon a time' body lotion: This is a moisturising lotion that absorbs into the skin and has an earthy grassy scent. Would I buy it again? I used it on my face as well as a body lotion. I enjoyed the scent; I'd consider buying it again.

Penhaligon's Endymion shower gel: This shower gel sample is the scent 'Endymion', which is a care-free masculine scent Would I buy it again? No; I really did not like this scent at all.

Penhaligon's Halfeti shower gel: This scent evokes middle-eastern tones, and it is a grown-up and luxurious scent. Would I buy it again? Yes, I did enjoy the scent, but it is not high on my list.

Marks & Spencers Frozen Fruits perfume: This is a little travel-sized perume that came in a set; this one is a fruity scent but with a wintery tone to mute it so that it is not too fresh and spring-like. Would I buy it again? No, the product had a nice scent, but it lacked longevity.

Boots fresh banana bonanza bath crystals: These little sachets contained a set of bath crystals to disssolve in the water and to make the bath smell like banana. I think they may have also doubled as skin-care; I am not sure if they were like bath salts. Would I buy it again? No, I was not keen on the product.

Aurelia probiotic skincare miracle cleanser: This product removes dirt and make-up from a busy day out; it helps keep the skin hydrated without stripping it of its oils. Would I buy it again? Yes, I found that it was a good product and did aid at helping rid my face of make-up after a long day.

I am sure that the progress of the destruction has increased since I took the below photographs in March. Mid-March was the last time I have been able to visit London and the last time I was in Shoreditch. I walked by the former location of the Red Gallery, the "Last Days of Shoreditch", which I became familiar with in 2013 and visited to check out street art. Fittingly, the "Past, Present, and Future" Stik street art lives on, observing the changes happening below.

The Red Gallery has hosted much street art over the years, including Banksy (Banksy's Giant Stencil Rat Uncovered on Old Street), Ben Eine (Ben Eine's "Last Days of Shoreditch" and Additional Work), Stik (Stik's "Past, Present & Future"), and many others. 

I am not sure what will be placed in its location, but I assume it will be hotels or flats as this is what has become of the other land reclaimed by gentrification.

I've always loved reading and got through several books a year commuting to work. In the past few years, working crazy hours meant that my reading (and other hobbies and interests) took a back seat. With being forced to stay at home during lockdown and books to review, I managed to make an effort to read a couple of books a week. So, I thought that I'd include a selection of those here. I am always looking for good books, so let me know if you have any recommendations.

"In Case You Missed It" by Lindsay Kelk
HarperCollins, releasing 23 July, 2020
This is the story of Ros, a girl who returns home to London after a few years from moving to the USA for her career and dumping her boyfriend. Things did not go well for her in the USA, and she rekindles her friendships and relationship although she is sent to live in the garden shed by her parents. While out with friends, she gets to know someone else; this is okay, because her boyfriend is a little degrading and dull. Overall, it is a good escape story and one that is easy to pick up and read through without stopping. 
My review: 9/10

"Who Cares Wins" by Lily Cole
Penguin Books, releasing 30 July, 2020
Model Lily Cole has spent time and effort understanding some of the leading world issues today and makes sense of them in her book. Environmental and sustainability are the two primary subjects discussed in the book with plenty of examples from her life and contacts. Hopefully this book will inspire others to take action to make the world a better place. Overall, the book is insightful in some of the ideas and also allows readers to see a range of possibilities and research. This should be used to help readers understand the tops from a top level and then to research them further.
My review: 7/10

"Before the Crown" by Flora Harding
HarperCollins, releasing 10 December, 2020
Viewers who enjoy the Netflix series 'The Crown' are sure to love this book, which covers the life of Elizabeth and Philip's blossoming relationship. It gives a glimpse of the life of the young woman who would be queen and an insight into her relationships with family; it also covers Philip's story. This was another great escape story with words that flowed off the page, making it a book that was destined to be picked up and finished in one reading.
My review: 9/10

"Belladonna" by Anbara Salam
Penguin Books, releasing 16 July, 2020
Young Bridget is the narrator of this story who is a school girl from Connecticut when she meets the popular Isabella. Set in the 1950s, Bridget is mesmerised by Isabella and spends several months with her at a rural Italian university operated by nuns. The story covers the intimate relationship that the girls have with the betrayal and manipulation, focusing on the obsession Bridget has for Isabella. The book offered an escapism and wonderful descriptions of the Italian setting along with an interesting cast of characters.
My review: 9/10

"The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman
Penguin Random House, releasing 3 September, 2020
This murder mystery takes place in a retirement community where some of the residents take it upon themselves to solve the events happening in the community. The plot has many twists and different characters to keep the reader guessing what will happen next. The author has a great writing style, and the writing is witty and allows a break from the more serious scenes. I can see this book being especially popular with fans of the mystery and crime genre.
My review: 7/10

"What It's Really Like" by Jane Morris
Truth Be Told Publishing, released 10 June, 2020
For those who have ever wondered what it's like to be a teacher or who have friends who are, this book is a must-read. The book is split into several stories or one-page correspondence that really says it all. Not only do teachers have to teach children, but they have to babysit them too. They also have to deal with egotistical education board members and parents and hilarious incidents that have happened in the classroom. However, there are also inspiring stories too. This book kept me laughing in places and gobsmacked in others.
My review: 9/10

I visited Claremont Landscape Garden, a National Trust property, on Sunday. Claremont Landscape Garden is located near Esher in Surrey, and it is one of the earliest surviving English Landscape Gardens with an original 18th century layout; it was also a place for Queen Victoria to escape to. It is a Grade I listed garden and was created for Claremont House. The gardens were created by famous landscape gardeners of the time - Capability Brown, William Kent, Charles Bridgeman, and John Vanbrugh. 

The landscaping of the gardens took place between 1715 and 1727, and it includes a lake and ampitheatre The ampitheatre was used for an annual event, a country fair, and this event included four days of entertainment, which included music, theatre, and fireworks. 

The ampitheatre is the remaining largest of its kind in existance in Europe. There were others, but they have disappeared over time. This ampitheatre is the focal point of the gardens. It is likely to have been used primarily as a viewpoint instead of as a stage.

Above the ampitheatre is a stone that reads "My Charlotte is gone". The story behind this is a sad one. Princess Charlotte commissioned a teahouse be built above the ampitheatre in 1817, but she died before it was finished. Her husband, Prince Leopold, converted it into a mausoleum as a memorial. Unfortunately, the stone for the mausoleum was used for a path.

There are short woodland trails with rows of rhododendrons on the northern part of the gardens, and I imagine that these look beautiful in the spring. This is probably the best time of the year to visit the gardens, but autumn may also look lovely.

A Camellia greenhouse was built here by Charlotte and Leopold and this is a quiet spot on the northern side of the garden.

Also, on the northern edge of the gardens is Belvedere Tower, which was constructed at the same time as the gardens. The windows are actually painted onto the brick.

Through the little trail in the wooded area are three statues: a boar, a bear, and a peacock. There is also a small thatched cottage (one small room only), and it has items for children to entertain themselves with.

In 1949, the landscape garden was donated to National Trust for protection. It was initially managed by the council but became fully under the control of National Trust in the early 1970s.

I enjoyed a walk around the small lake, which contains a grotto on one end. The gotto is a feature to be viewed from a distance only; it cannot be entered. It replaced a small waterfall. The lake also has an island with a little building in the middle, but the island cannot be accessed.

On the far side of the lake, visitors can enjoy the lake with the view of the ampitheatre.

There are a few seats dotted around the garden in order to relax and enjoy the views.

Have you ever visited Claremont Landscape Garden?

Earlier this week, I received a package that I ordered from Lush with some of their current range of bath bombs and bubble bars. I have used up several of their products in the past three months, and I placed an order to also obtain some of the cloth gift wrap because a friend mentioned that it could be used as a facemask. I do not have any face masks other than one home-made one that I picked up that was much too large for me. I cannot sew, so there's some tutorials online that show how to make one. I have temporarily used a scarf when I have been out in the car, but it doesn't stay put and is very thin fabric. Hopefully these cloth gift wraps will do the trick!

So, what else did my Lush package contain? The short answer is bubble bars, scrubs, and bath bombs.

Bathos bubble bar: This is a violet and clove-scented purple bubble bar with a 'B' stamped onto it. 

Peach Crumble bubble bar: This is a peach-scented bubble bar that is in the shape of a peach. 

Lucky Cat bubble bar: This jasmine-scented bubble bar is in the shape of a pink lucky cat.

Ladybird bubble bar: This is a fresh and fruity bubble bar in the shape of a lady bug (or ladybird, depending on what you call these little insects).

Return to the Emerald City bubble bar: This is a calming and fruity shimmery bubble bar in a green colour.

Easy Peeler scrub: This fruity bright orange and orange fruit-shaped scrub will brighten and buff skin.

Geode bath bomb: This bath bomb looks like a geode with purple crystals inside.

Peachy bath bomb: Paired with the bubble bar, this peachy bath bomb looks similar.

Blackberry bath bomb: This is a blackberry-shaped bath bomb.

Aubergine (eggplant) bath bomb: This vegetable has a tonka scent.

Have you used any of these scents? Do you have a favourite amongst these?

Today, I am bringing you more home-delivered cookies during lockdown. Beeston Cookies are the latest home-delivered cookies that I have tried. Beeston Cookies are located in Nottingham in the town of Beeston. Cookies are delivered to the UK and are released at different intervals with different flavours in a selection box. 

Flavours included cookies and cream, a peanut butter flavour, mini eggs, snickerdoodle filled with nutella, chocolate brownie, and a chocolate chip with candies.

Snickerdoodles are my favourite cookie ever, which is why I ordered this box. However, my favourite in the box was the chocolate brownie. These taste delicious slightly heated, and the brownie one was especially gooey.

Visitors to Shoreditch High Street have probably seen George the Dog and his owner John Dolan sitting on the pavement drawing his dog or drawing the view. John Dolan lives on the street and has some brushes with spending time in prison and hanging out with the wrong people. He's lived on the streets and knows London very well, and he decided to draw what he sees one day. He acquired George from a fellow homeless person. The two are inseperable; George hangs out on the pavements as John draws.  

I've seen various drawings around Shoreditch of George, and most recently, I discovered several images of George the dog in different settings, such as space.

John Dolan has become quite well-known for his artwork and has had it displayed in some of London's popular galleries. Keep your eyes open for them next time you visit Shoreditch High Street.

Now that lockdown has eased, National Trust have started to open up some of their gardens and parklands. My annual membership came up for renewal in June, but I had not been to any of the properties since February and was waiting for spring to kick off, but then the lockdown happened. At first, the parks were open for all visitors for free because many people do not have gardens, but people swamped them, and they had to keep them closed. Some properties started to reopen in mid-June, even though it is still not perfectly safe. The houses remain closed, and visitors to properties must plan well in advance. Tickets are available two weeks in advance and can be purchased or reserved (free for members of National Trust) on Fridays. However, all of the properties book up well in advance, so you have to be quick.

I arrived at 10:00, and I made my way to the Water Gardens. I was the first one in that part of the gardens, so I had it to myself for about five minutes until another group made their way behind me. Because of the lockdown, National Trust have massively cut numbers to the gardens so that visitors can observe social distancing. The daily number of visitors can only accommodate a fraction of what they were used to having, and some of the shops, information centres, and cafes have had to remain closed. They are also not allowing the visitor passport stamp at the moment, and there is no indication of when this will be allowed again. The shop at Cliveden was open to limited visitors, and a kiosk was selling coffees and snacks outside.

The last time I visited Cliveden was last May (A Visit to Cliveden House (Buckinghamshire, England)), and the Water Gardens were closed but visitors could walk around the ponds. This time, they were open and visitors could walk onto the rock stones across the ponds and up to the pagoda.

The pagoda is a nice feature and has bells along it. The bells chime when the wind blows them.

A heron was standing in the water along the side of the pond. I watched it stand still along the edge patiently, and it caught a fish. I was quite near it watching, but unfortunately the two children behind me had spotted it and ran charging toward it. Upon seeing them running toward it, it flew away to the safety of the middle of the pond. 

The Water Gardens had several stepping stones, and this made a nice feature amongst the colourful flowers - tiger lilies, lilly pads, and shrubs.

After the water gardens, I had a walk through the woodland to get to a viewpoint and the Duke Statue, which had views over the Thames and a glimpse of views of Cliveden House through a small clearing of trees.

Through the trees of the glimpse of Cliveden House, the Thames can be seen as it bends a corner. I saw a riverboat on the Thames.

After admiring the view, I made my way down the hillside through the forest to approach the gardens of Cliveden House. Unfortunately, the gardens in front of Cliveden House had not been planted. They had been planted in February for spring colour, but they had not been maintained due to the lockdown and had expired. Because of the lockdown, signs were up to state that the gardens would remain unplanted until next spring. This break will help the soil recover nutrients. So, unfortunately, the colour and glamour was missing a bit. This was a little sad to see the gardens unmaintained, but I guess it gives a chance for the soil to recover.

Next up, I headed to the other side of the house where there is a small rose garden with pink, orange, white, and yellow roses on display. The roses are in their prime at this time of the year, so the garden was full of colour. A one-way system was in place in the rose garden so that visitors could observe social distancing.

After the visit to the rose garden, I headed to the back of the parkland through the grove of trees.

The monument on this side of the garden is Blenheim Pavilion.

There were a couple of nice glimpses of the valley below.

In order to access Long Garden, I had to walk around it and then back because of another one-way system in one place. The Long Garden contains shapred shrubs and flower beds. The middle of the garden contains beds, but these have also been left to the elements as the gardens in front of Cliveden House. Earlier in the year, many daffodils were planted for a spring display. However, lockdown meant that visitors could not come to see them. The daffodils remain in the ground for next spring and for the ground to recover.

The flower beds along the garden wall, however, were in their prime. These are annual beds, and the colours and plants were stunning here.

After visiting Long Garden, I walked back to the car. The "Fountain of Love" is the largest fountain in the park.

Have you visited any National Trust properties this year?

Earlier this month, I had a delivery from Jo's Cake Co. I ordered a mixed box of cookie cups, and they were promptly delivered. Readers who know me know that cookies are my ultimate weakness, and the cookie scene in the UK seems to be popular at the moment. Jo's Cake Co make small batches with different flavours each week; the flavours are released on Thursday, and they always sell out. On the week I ordered, I opted for the mixed box. I was not sure which flavours I would receive, but the flavours ended up being Mars bar, red velvet, and s'mores.

Jo's Cake Co started in 2018 after the owner already had experience at baking cupcakes and decorated cakes. Originally, Jo's Cake Co was located in Belgium, but she moved the UK and started the business from scratch. The cookie cup receipe has evolved over the years to obtain the perfect cookie consistency.

They taste even better slightly heated up, which is what I have done with the s'mores one above.

My favourite was the Mars bar one because it contained lashings of caramel and chocolate and is the traditional chocolate chip cookie flavour. There's a reason why the classics are sometimes the best.

The s'mores one was good too, but I was not as keen on the red velvet but only because I don't like red velvet flavour anyway. New cookie flavours are launched every Thursday, so be quick in order to pick your box.