Winter Plants in Town: a holiday in Chipping Campden

It seems two of us have been on holiday. Rather a contrast – one of us to the desert, and me to — Chipping Campden. Which is just about as far away as you’ll get me from home, and a long way from a desert. So if any of you think of visiting our garden at Veddw (shameless self promotion again) you’ll be pleased to know that Chipping Campden is only one and a half hours away, through beautiful English countryside. Even along a Roman Road. 

But what does Chipping Campden have to offer gardeners in the middle of winter, besides cream teas and toasted teacakes? Well, it has Plants in Doorways for a start, embellishing an ancient and lovely town. In the tourist office we found a plan which took us on a walk round the town, and I will share some of the highlights with you.

The exit from our hotel looked like this:

Not a bad start? At least for us hedge lovers.

And we exited into the main street. Which, I should explain, is full of houses coloured like this:

The famous Cotswold stone.

I have to warn you – I cannot, from my jumble of photographs, get things in the right order. If you want to have the walk absolutely right you will have to come and do it yourself. So, these are the kind of things we found –

Actually, the skimmia looks better without conifers, I think.

Spring peeping out

There was also fun: (we love bees)

I know – an awful lot of pictures! I’m not doing this on behalf of the tourist board – it was just such a pleasure. There was even a garden 

But that was not all joy. Labels!!

The route took us through a nearby village where there were more hedges:

And flowers (and dog)

And shrubs:

Those euphorbia (which ones, anyone?) were something else:

Much admired, as you can see.

I could go on but I think I’ve overdone the pictures. I took many many more. And we shopped:

New scarf!

Followed by 

Time for tea.

Then back to the hotel:

I could get into this holiday thing.