Turn End

Last Saturday, seeing as it was a topper, I decided to get out of London and into the countryside, so I took myself along to the little village of Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. Where there are...

This beautiful, picturesque little hamlet was one of the film locations of the late 90's ITV drama series, Midsomer Murders, which I have to say, was a favourite of mine (mainly for the lovely settings and village greens), when I was younger, although having watched it again since, it's really quite dreadful! Anyway, the main reason for coming here (honest!) was to visit the gardens of the Turn End houses.

The Turn End houses are a group of three, beautifully designed by architect Peter Aldington in the 1960s. Peter still lives in the main house with his family, but he will kindly open his home to the public occasionally by special arrangement. The gardens surrounding Turn End are open to the public on selected days during the year, by entrance of a small commission, under the National Garden Scheme, to raise funds for The Turn End Charity, securing the future of both the house and gardens for generations to come.
The walled gardens, which sit perfectly around the houses, are a wonderfully peaceful oasis between two lanes, with large borders of wild flowers, scented roses, separated garden spaces, a fountain and pool, a miniature box tree maze, a giant redwood! It was so relaxing to stroll around the gardens, which is full of birds, exploring all corners.

I decided this weekend was a particularly good time to visit as it was also the last for the Bucks Open Studio Weekend, an event which takes place all over the county of Bucks during the last two weeks of June each year when artists and craftsmen and women open the doors to their homes, studios and galleries to the public and so too did the Artist in residence at the Turn End studio, the Book Artist, Heather Hunter.

Heather's books are very inspiring, and I particularly like her folded page books made from old reference books of butterflies. Heather has also been experimenting with a large press in which she prints on to paper using lace and leaves.

Whilst I was there, I also ventured into the historic town of Aylesbury to visit an old 13th Century Inn and enjoyed some delicious ales. More on that to come...