Dove Cottage visit

As part of my work with the Wordsworth Trust, we went down to Dove Cottage to learn about the garden, it's historical significance and how it has been replicated. After a fascinating talk by gardener and plant historian, Jane Roberts, we looked around the garden and discussed the natural and romantic planting schemes; how the garden wouldn't have any 'official' boundaries like a wall and how Wordsworth valued the more common plants despite them being regarded as of lower 'class'. 

The morning was damp and that led me to go off on a photographic tangent while listening to Jane....hence many photos! 

On returning inside, we were able to examine the different floras in the Wordsworth Trust collection, seeing how they have evolved into the modern floras that we are familiar with. The 'show' though was totally stolen, in my opinion, by seeing the book that William Wordsworth had given to his niece in 1841, that she had pressed labelled named samples Cumbrian mosses and ferns into ....

In the afternoon we wrote and sketched ....quality time!

Demonstrating acrylics and pastels en plein air - in the drizzle.