Tag Archives: Tudor

“What God would have built if he had the money…”

Posted on 22/11/2014 by The Garden History Blog

“What God would have built if he had the money…” is what George Bernard Shaw is supposed to have said on visiting William Randolph Hearst at St Donat’s Castle in South Wales. It’s not surprising that Shaw was impressed! St Donat’s is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Deer Park, Edward Stradling, George Bernard Shaw, st donat's, Tudor, Wales, William Randolph Hearst | Leave a comment

The Beasts of Bexley…

Posted on 26/10/2014 by The Garden History Blog

Would you expect to find a large red dragon in a garden in Bexley? Or a griffin lurking behind a hedge at a castle near Cardiff? To say nothing of a dolphin on a staircase in Kensington or an English leopard in a French camping site? … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged English Heritage, Hampton Court, Henry VIII, Kenilworth Castle, Topiary, Tudor, whitehall | 2 Comments

Elephants and the royal menagerie…

Posted on 17/07/2014 by The Garden History Blog

After a look at mechanical elephants in our parks and gardens I thought perhaps I should look at the place of the real thing there as well. Garden menageries have a long history: the earliest recorded in Britain from the … Continue reading →