Artists visit again 29th July 2021

PEDAS - the Poole and East Dorset Arts Society - made their annual visit to the gardens and once again the sun shone.

This time they came with a tutor - an artist called Rob Adams from Child Okeford - robadams@treeshark.com /http://www.treeshark.com/treeblog / Tel: 01258 861212

After a quick word from Rob, the artists settled themselves all over the garden and started to work. Some kindly said that I could show their work on the website.

Towards the end of the session, Rob gathered the artists together on the big lawn and showed them what he had started to paint. He then talked them through the additions that he was making. It was fascinating watching him.

So fascinating that we ended up buying the finished product!

Christening party in the glamping ground

Our next event was a Christening party for a family friend. This was held on the glamping ground in the most glorious sunshine.

A delicious tea had been set up in a gazebo in the shade of the Ash Tree - everything from sausage rolls, to huge cakes, strawberries with scones and cream to crudites and dips. It was amazing! Everything had been transported from The Willows | Vintage Tea Room here in Shillingstone - As well as providing teas, Carol Griffiths also hosts a B&B - www.willowstearoomdorset.co.uk

The parents had arranged for a Bubble Lady - https://squidgeandpop.com - to amuse the children but she attracted just as many adults to her display which was amazing! She even managed to get a group of children inside a bubble! She also does bubbles instead of confetti at weddings!

Amazing Photographs of Shillingstone in late May by Tom Redman

Tom Redman was one of the official photographers at the Open Weekend for Coastal Tents - https://tomandlizzieredman.com/ - They specialise in Wedding Photography but once the official photographs were over, he wandered the gardens here at Shillingstone House and took the most amazing photographs. A huge thank you to him.

Starting at the Front Door, he worked his way round the House to ………

The wisteria over the Dining and Drawing Room doors ..

To the borders round the lawns - sadly the herbaceous border was blocked by the marquee and then on ….

Through the arch to the white walk ……..

On to the Walled Garden and our Wedding Bell Tent, then through the door into the camping field with the sheep in the field next door.

And finally to the remaining items from the old Shillingstone Light Railway days which ran the farm in former days.

A HUGE THANK YOU TOM! …… and to Coastal Tents for including you in their weekend!

A wonderful weekend with Coastal Tents despite the weather

50 mile an hour winds and deluging rain did not dampen spirits over our Open Weekend for Coastal Tents -

https://www.coastaltents.co.uk/ - It was a huge pleasure to spend time with such a wonderful collection of suppliers and the weather added, perhaps, to the spirit of camaraderie. The weekend was the greatest of fun and beautifully organised - Owen from CC even came out at 9.30 at night to check that the marquee and Tipis were still safely pegged down!

https://www.rosiebarrett.co.uk/about - decoration of the Tipis

https://www.marthaandthemeadow.com/ - flowers in the Tipi

https://www.melissarose.co/ - decoration of the Sail Cloth Marquee

https://thecopperstillbar.co.uk/ - Horse box Bar

https://www.foxandstarceremonies.com/ - Celebrants

https://www.fromsallywithlove.co.uk/ - wedding stationary

https://www.carterelloband.com/ - Blandford based band

https://www.penelopemargotdesign.co.uk/ - wedding stationary

https://www.daniellewatkinsphotography.com/  - photographer

https://www.whitestem.co.uk/ - hire of real trees – also the arch over the gazebo in the photograps

https://virginiasvintagehire.co.uk/ - hire of vintage items and furniture

http://www.luxurylittlerooms.co.uk/ - loos

https://www.allenshire.co.uk/ - hire of catering china and furniture etc.

https://tomandlizzieredman.com/ - photographer for most photographs on this blog

https://www.fabulouscompany.co.uk/ - hire of glass and tableware

https://tomandlizzieredman.com/- Photographers

www.switswoo.co.uk - Photobooths

The weather was luckily fine for the setting up of the Sail Cloth marquee and tipis and the sun actually shone.

In house photograph - all the other wonderful pictures were taken by Tom at https://tomandlizzieredman.com/

Once the Sail Cloth marquee was up, Melissa started work straight away on creating her beautiful hanging dried flower arrangement and setting the tables out for a “wedding breakfast” with an old rose colour theme. The subdued colours were perfect for the airy marquee. I loved the idea of napkins made from torn pieces of lines, so soft and easy to arrange - Melissa had knotted them and they looked great.

When Melissa was finished, White Stem added some trees and shrubs, Sarah Goodman from SwitSwoo set up her photo booth with a shimmering copper background, Laura, the Celebrant set up her stall and From Sally with Love arranged a beautiful array of hand made invitations, book the date cards etc. The Copper Still installed their inside bar, matched at the other side of the marquee by a new Coastal Tent creation - here a semi circle but the full circle is available.

The Tipis gradually grew in the field where they looked fantastic in the natural setting.

As soon as they were ready Rosie Barratt and Emma from Martha and the Meadow began to transform the interior into an incredible India Hicks inspired setting - the complete opposite to Melissa’s decorations -They had planned it down to the last detail, complete with coconuts and pineapples and vintage books and ornaments.

Other suppliers added their wares - The Copper Still set up their horse box bar outside, Switswoo arranged the props for her photo-booth -and Penelope laid out her beautiful wedding stationary.

Our wedding gazebo was set up for a wedding complete with benches from Coastal Tents and a magnificent arch of Trachelospermum jasminoides from White Stem. This was not out yet but in the summer the smell of the star shaped flowers is incredible. One of our summer weddings has ordered one and I cannot wait to see it.

With official photographs finished, Tom explored the gardens and took some really amazing photographs! So good in fact that I have dedicated the next blog to them alone!

The weekend went in a flash and the Coastal Tent crew worked in pouring rain after all our guests had gone to take down some of the decorations and the smaller tipis. Luckily we had hired strong mats to put in the field entrance or the tipis would have got stuck when they returned for the final time the following day - Brandon Hire, Blandford - https://www.hirestation.co.uk/about-us/hire-station-branches/south-wales-and-south-west/brandon-hire-blandford/

We were very sad to see everyone leave though they left us a pile of Pineapples and whole coconuts!

Getting ready for our Open Weekend with Coastal tents!

I cannot believe that \i have not blogged since Easter! We have been so busy getting the gardens ready for opening in April and now for our Open Weekend with Coastal Tents.

We have been very lucky with very little damage from the storms a week or two ago. One of our polly -tunnels shook so much that all the shelves fell over depositing about a hundred plants in a heap on the ground but amazingly the blossom remained intact.

(I should have blogged during the frosts as we had to cover the blossom on the fruit wall with sheets over night and then pull them back during the day to let the bees in!)

We have had our tree surgeon in to cut off some more dead branches from the big oak, ready for the Tipi to go up in the field. (Ian Davies/ Tree Surgeon - https://m.facebook.com/Ian-Davies-Tree-Surgeon-181180775852916/ )

And added gravel to the paths bordering the raised beds in the walled garden and the pots on the white walk - can’t think why we have not done this before as it is labour saving and really lightens the space.

The garden is now perfect!! Huge thank you to all the team who have worked so hard to get it to this standard.

Easter at Shillingstone House

We love Easter at Shillingstone House! So much wonderful decorating to do but none of the pressure of Christmas, and not to mention the fun of Egg Hunts.

Here we have a non chocolate hunt with little eggs to find and swap for small presents inside some of our vintage eggs. These range from the 1930’s to 1950’s and are fiercely guarded. The large egg was mine in 1954!

This year, like last, was just us and the family that lives with us but a huge lunch was still prepared and eaten and the normal mad time was enjoyed by us all. Hopefully we will be able to return to the large family gatherings that we normally have.

Once again, I was asked to decorate the church porch - this time with the Easter Garden.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter!

Incredible song

Whilst we were working in the garden, edging after the first cut of the lawns, and incredible sound filled the air. It took a little while to pin point it to a robin sitting on the Japonica and singing his heart out. He follows us round the garden as we work but I have never heard him sing like this before. Amazing!

Spring has really arrived!

The rain has stopped but the sun has come out and the garden is really awakening.

The Camellias are fully out and the drive is yellow with daffodils.

And to complete the picture, our fields are filled with lambs - beautiful Jacobs and Herdwicks - who leap about in gangs of about 10 just like Nursery School children.

The photographs below, along with the daffodils above, were taken by my 6 year old granddaughter!

Snow Moon

Quite the most beautiful moons I have ever seen and said to herald the arrival of snow which did fall but sadly not in Dorset. The night was lit up like daylight.

Spring is coming and the garden is filling with flowers

Since I last blogged, it seems to have done nothing but rain! Parts of the garden have become a quagmire but it is still looking beautiful.

Spring is beginning! Snowdrops line the drive with a few of the daffodils grown among them actually in bud. The Camelias are beginning to flower and so far are beating the damage from our frosty mornings.

Primroses are popping up in the woods and tucked away in the garden and the air is full of the smell of Sweet Box and Witchazel.

And the faithful Christmas Rose continues to flower and flower!

Chinese New Year

Great celebrations of Chinese New Year took place at Shillingstone House! A wondrous dragon appeared on the back stairs, noodles and chop sticks were mastered by Millie our granddaughter and cards were exchanged.

stairs

stack of hats

stairs

stack of hats

Happy New Year 2021 from Shillingstone House to all our couples past and future!

A beautiful cold frosty morning at Shillingstone House to start 2021 and a HUGE Happy New Year to all our couples past and future.

Hopefully this year will soon be healthier and safe for our 12 couples to celebrate their weddings with their friends and families around them.

Frosty start to 2021

Frost on the trees at Shillingstone House/Wedding venue/New Year 2021/Wedding venue Dorset

Frost on Phlomis leaves

Silver plants/Herbaceous border/Shillingstone House /Wedding venue Dorset/frosty weather

Jasmine leaves rimmed with frost

New Year 2021/beautiful frosty weather/Shillingstone House Wedding Venue Dorset/Gardens at Shillingstone House

Frost on the grass

grass too frosty to walk on/Shillingstone House Weddings/Wedding Venue Dorset/New Year 2021

Frost on seed heads of last year's sedums

Frosty weather/New Year 2021/Shillingstone House Weddings/Dorset Wedding Venue/herbaceous border

Frost on Forget me Not leaves

Frosty start to 2021/New Year/Shillingstone House Weddings/Dorset Wedding Venue

First the rain and with it the Rainbows and now the Frost - both so beautiful

The rain has really held back our gardening and to Michael’s relief, the mowing but it did have it’s beautiful side. Now we have the frost - again not good for gardening but again really beautiful, turning the lawns and fields into a glistening white wonderland.

Rainbow over the fields at Shillingstone House

Rainbows/Shillingstone House Wedding Venue/Wedding venues Dorset

New Year's Eve 2020 Frosty Wonderland

Shillingstone House Weddings/Wedding Venue Dorset/Frost/Winter Wonderland

Storm Bella blows in

Storm Bella blew in at about 50 miles and hour. Hearing it battering the windows in the night, I feared the worst. No trees down but both our poly-tunnels, holding all the plants we have nurtured for next year, suffered damage. Luckily the plants were only knocked over and not too many were damaged.

Storm Bella blows in

Poly-tunnels/ Shillingstone House Weddings/Walled garden/Storm Bella

Storm Bella blows in

Poly-tunnels green house

Storm Bella blows in

Poly-tunnels green house

Christmas at Shillingstone

Everyone at Shillingstone House hopes all our couples past and present have had a wonderful, if perhaps, different Christmas. Ours was quiet and smaller but still mad and as enjoyable as usual!. No decorations in the dining room or drawing room this year but I was not going to be cheated of one of the bits of Christmas that I love!

Christmas at Shillingstone/ baubles/Christmas Tree/decorations

Christmas tree in the Hall at Shillingstone House 2020

Christmas tree at Shillingstone lit up at night

Christmas tree/Shillingstone House/Dorset wedding venue/Christmas lights

Christmas at Shillingstone

Christmas Baubles/Christmas tree/ Shillingstone House Wedding venue/Wedding venue Dorset

Christmas at Shillingstone

Christmas bird in the ivy on the stairs/Christmas lights/Christmas decorations

Christmas at Shillingstone

Paper Decoration hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen at Shillingstone House/paper decorations/Shillingstone House Wedding venue

Christmas at Shillingstone

Kitchen decorations/ Shillingstone House Wedding Venue/Wedding Venue Dorset

OWL sponsored bike ride by our granddaughter

Our granddaughter, Millie aged 6, has just completed a sponsored bike ride to Sturminster Newton and back.

Millie loves owls and in the summer she spent many evening watching two beautiful owls taking food to their young. She would sit totally still for up to an hour! She was so excited one evening to see the chicks pop out!

The farm has been recently sold and they are fundraising to pay for the repairs and Millie wanted to help. She did around 5.5 miles in two hours with a huge sausage roll in the middle!

She speeds along on her balance bike as she still loves it so choose to use that over her bicycle

If you too love owls they would love a donation!

https://www.countrysiderestorationtrust.com/fundraisers/help-millie-save-the-barn-owls-home

Thank you!

Dining Room once again taken over by stitching!

Without our lovely brides and grooms coming into the Dining Room to see the Registrars, I have once again filled the dining room table with stitching - this time with vintage cushion production. This was a task I started six years ago and promised I would finish during Lockdown but Scrubs Bags too over! Some were meant as Christmas presents for the relations we now will not see and are now destined for the next village bazaar if I do no sell them before then.

The Nativity comes to Shillingstone!

I was asked to make a tableau for the Church Porch here in Shillingstone. Luckily, I have never thrown away the Nativity clothes from the Nursery School that I ran here pre-weddings, so instead of Brides the Hall has filled with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the Shepherds!

We became quite attached to them and were sad to see them leave for the Church last Friday where ably assisted by Millie the tableaux was put in place.

Divali

We have been celebrating the Hindu Feast of Divali from eating delicious curry to making chapattis, performing a shadow performance of the story of Rama, Sita and the 6 headed monster Ravana to making diva lamps.- Home Schooling remains much to the fore at Shillingstone at the moment.

Leaf Sweeping

The leaves never stop falling and we never stop sweeping them up! This time down the drive with a fascinated audience!

The compensation is that the colours have been so amazing! The maple leaves look like confetti on the ground.