Everywhere you looked, Christmas trees! On a grey and freezing day in East Sussex, finally some colour.
Standen House in East Grinstead is good to visit at any time of the year, but particularly at Christmas time. Last time I was here was for the Kaffe Fasset Exhibition in December 2016.
This year was the turn for The Xmas Tree of Mr X stitch (aka Jamie Chalmers). He worked with local communities and sewing groups to produce 600 x-stitch baubles. This were spread all around the grounds and on the 20 foot Christmas tree in the front courtyard.
The man hours in this project! Mind boggling, and lovely ...
Then, inside the house and everywhere you turn, more Christmas trees. Somebody had fun, I hope there was gluwhein involved.
Ok, that's enough!
Out in to the cold.
Possibly there was low blood sugar involved, but how dare you close a path when we're visiting!
This is a Shepherd's Bothy - not an old one obviously but built as part of the National Trust New Art Contemporary Arts Programme taking place across the country. The Artist, Will Shannon, designed and sourced the materials from a 25 mile radius around Standen. The wood is all from the Standen estate. The handmade glass was sourced from the last remaining manufacturer of handmade glass in the UK - English Antique Glass in Birmingham. Isn't it amazing!
Cream tea happened at some stage, with the perpetual disagreement (cream first, then jam, just saying).
Some wandering around the estate and more Christmas trees!
To the aspirant gardeners out there (Tony), this is how an espalier should end up, may take a couple of hundred years though!
Home time!
