Tresco Abbey Gardens - Sepia Saturday

In 2008 our children took my wife and I to Tresco on the Scilly Isles to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary. One of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Tresco Abbey Gardens.

Tresco Abbey - 2008

With the garden theme this week I now regret not taking more photos while we were there, but here's a few.

The Abbey garden is now one of the foremost in the country. The whole garden is protected by a belt of trees that were originally planted in the early 19th century by Augustus Smith who had leased the island from the Duchy of Cornwall. Up to that time there had been no trees growing in Tresco. In 1990 a series of storms culminated in a hurricane that blew down many of the trees; since then over 60,000 replacements  have been planted to re-establish the shelter belt.

Central path leading to the Temple of Neptune

Somehow it seems appropriate that there is a statue of an early Earth goddess,

Gaia

Then we came across this rather splendid tree, all I need is a guidebook to tell me what it is.

It has not been manicured in any way; this is how it grows.

Also in the gardens is a museum with a collection of figureheads from ships wrecked on the islands.

Valhalla

Valhalla is now managed by the National Maritime Museum.

Statue of Children

This statue can be viewed at the end of a path between the Abbey Garden's trees.

But I'll admit you can't see it at all clearly in this shot.

But outside the garden, near the island's refuse tip there is no mistaking this greedy lot waiting for their meal.

Expectant Gulls

For more garden treats you need to fly off to SS 122