Coton Manor Gardens Bluebell Wood

What an unforgettable afternoon! Bluebells as far as the eye can see. Breathtaking! 

I'd spent a magical few hours at Coton Manor Gardens in Northamptonshire, where at this time of year there's a wood full of bluebells in amongst the most wonderful garden.  

As you enter the grounds you are in for a surprise....the pink flamingo kind! 

Did you know that their wonderful sunset/pink colour is down to their diet? No, I didn't either! Apparently they need to eat food such as shrimp and algae. These are high in carotenoids and are the same pigments that make shrimps turn from grey to pink when they are cooked!  I did not expect to learn that today!

So what next? Some cockerels and hens roaming free around the lawns with their fluffy, feathered socks!

And the garden itself is just splendid. 

These borders gave me some lovely planting ideas for my own patch of soil and I expect in another month they will be even more bloomin' marvellous.

There is so much interest within the grounds for example the different walkways like the ones below.

And then there's the house with the fabulous mauve wisteria.....

As you wander around the gardens you can lean over the gate and say hello to the horses in the adjacent fields - the kids will love them (as will the big kids....like me).

There's a huge variety of flowers some recognisable and others not so......

The plants in the picture below look a little strange to me - I did not find out their name....  but I've loads of similar ones in my garden and they're not ones I'd  think to cultivate ;-).

And the piece de la resistance at this time of year is the bluebell wood. 

Everyone loved it and we all gasped in wonderment as we took our first steps under the forest canope taking in the sight of the carpet of blue and the heady scent of these magical flowers. This has to be one of nature's top wonders, don't you agree?

After experiencing the moment for a while I went a little snap happy so I could share the sight with you!

Bluebell Wood

Doesn't it look so fab?!

There is also a wild meadow, which you can see in all its glory in July. 

I meandered through it to examine this stag sculpture, as from afar I confess I actually thought it was real!

Ahem...ok it didn't move for a very long time.....but I'm sure I'm not the first person to think this LOL... it does look quite realistic.

Stag sculpture

At the end (or the start) is the tea shop and I'm sure I will be having a cuppa there soon.

There is also the nursery with rows and rows of plants for sale within super old English red brick courtyards and it had a great "oldy worldy" atmosphere. I was even distracted from buying plants for a moment by a bird feeding its young in a nest in the wall! 

After being inspired by all the planting in the main gardens- it's a perfect place to shop! 

Nursery