Bowood House and Gardens Visit
Bowood is an 18th century house in Wilshire, the home of several generations of the Lansdowne family many of whom were leading politicians, and included one Prime Minister and a Viceroy of India. Much of the house was demolished in the 1950s and a smaller part of the house and the service wing turned into the current family home.
The house is set in a beautiful Capability Brown landscaped park studded with mature trees and with sweeping lawns gently sloping down to a serene lake. Terraces on two levels lead down from the front of the house. These are filled with roses, lavender, clipped yews and at the time of our visit, beds of purple alliums. The walls on the southern side of the house are covered with climbers including a wisteria in full bloom and a deep herbaceous border fronts the eastern side. A charming Doric temple sits on small promontory beside the lake and at the lake head there is a ‘Picturesque’ rockwork valley and cascade.
This has to be the ideal example of an English country house in a wonderful setting and our visit was enhanced by perfect weather with cloudless blue skies.
After lunch the group visited another part of the estate, a 60 acre woodland with over 2 miles of rhododendron walks. The rhododendrons were at their magnificent best with huge domes of every colour set in sunny woodland glades and under planted with bluebells. It was a magical place and we hope that the photographs give some idea of its beauty.
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Photographs courtesy of Chris Impey.