In an English Country Garden....

No card from me today so if you came over for inspiration, click away now.... but a picture heavy post as I am sharing photos of our trip to Le Manoir in Oxfordshire, I thought that those of you overseas would enjoy the ride!

Owned by Raymond Blanc, this Michelin starred hotel and restaurant is perfection. An ancient old manor house at the top of a long drive......

passing little scenes like this, just look at the apples trained to grow around the arch........

and a sculpture of a ball boy, holding the mallets on the croquet lawn.....

Inside was just as elegant, we sat in this room for drinks before lunch

I loved this flower arrangement, so elegant, just lilies wound around the base of a big round bowl....

I could sit at this window seat for ever, just daydreaming and looking at the view....

They bought us a few nibbles to eat with our drinks...

and the food was, well sublime.........

(I forgot to take a photo of the fish course which arrived after the Gazpacho, you'll just have to imagine smoked salmon on a bed of horseradish mousse...)

and here's the lady of the manor waiting for coffee (not really, it's me...)

and just in case seven courses had left us a bit peckish, out came some sweet nibbles with the coffee....

Then we wandered around the grounds....

 There were sculptures everywhere, in quite unexpected places, like these sweet children playing in a little woodland clearing......

and this elegant bronze scarecrow standing guard in the extensive vegetable garden...

and here's that lady of the manor again, mimicking the pose of the lady of the manor!

I hope you've enjoyed your little tour. We certainly enjoyed our day, one to remember

I'll be back in crafty mode tomorrow with my Letraset post, and you know what that means...see you then x