I’d never even heard of the Flower Fairies….Well I’m a bloke aren’t I? Fairies??…Utter Nonsense…Preposterous! However the charmingly childlike Mrs SHPics, who was a chubby, pink faced, pig-tailed, cutie in knee socks in the 1980’s, was it now transpires, a huge Flower Fairy fan, and a firm believer.
This became apparent during a visit to Hampton Court Castle in Hope Under Dinmore, near Hereford, earlier this week. The whole place really is rather spiffing, but the gardens are something else.
We’d ‘cooed’ and ‘aaahd’ pretty much in unison as we’d walked around the walled kitchen garden, but as soon as we took the first of the steeply twisting steps down to the Sunken Garden I was treated to a rapidly escalating series of excited high pitched squeaks as my usually highly intelligent and sensible wife reverted to her eight year old self, chuntering on about secret gardens and flower fairies, magic slippers, enchanted waterfalls, unicorns, my little ponies, piglet, tigger, rampant rabbits, and all manner of girly stuff…..
She did make rather a fuss…. but…..it was a very beautiful little garden.
The Flower Fairies themselves were always just out of sight, which is of course exactly where they should be, but I heard them, I swear I did, splashing about behind the waterfall.
‘Come on…They went this way!’
All Images Copyright Stuart allan Hyde……….(p.s. I made up the rampant rabbit bit, just to see if you’re paying attention).
Spiritual World Traveler
Beautiful as always!!! I really enjoy your photos and musings!
Stuart Hyde - shpics
I muse to amuse………. 🙂
Spiritual World Traveler
And you do! LOL
Stuart Hyde - shpics
🙂
scillagrace
Enchanting! That first shot is magically delicious!
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Once again the polarising filter proves the photographers secret weapon of choice……
As for delicious, it’s missing a major food group as far as I’m concerned, but it does still look pretty tasty in a crispy, freshy, salady kinda way….Why dont waterfalls come with ham?
mybeautfulthings
What a beautiful place. I can believe the flower fairies are somewhere in that magical environment! 🙂
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Yes even a raging old cynic like me could hear ankle bells, rose thorn trumpets and dandelion stem flutes…..Though it may have been my stomach rumbling.
Helen Cherry
I need a polarising filter …. and I’m with MrsShpics on this one… Flower Faires R us
Stuart Hyde - shpics
I’m a convert to the Fairy cause….
Can’t get enough of them.
H2O by Joanna
amazing photos Stuart
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Thanks Joanna…waterfalls are one of my favourite things…I never tire of photographing them..
🙂
Oh…. and I’m looking forward to your new ‘all purpose’ blog….
Daniel C Doolan
Such a wonderful set of photographs, the colours and textures of the foliage are amazing and the addition of the waterfall and reflections make for composition.
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Glad you like’em Daniel…..Its a fantastic garden.