.
A couple of days ago I did a post about Enid Blyton’s home here in Bourne End.
I have some more information now, about the cottage, which was not to hand at the time of writing.
Old Thatch has recently been selected for inclusion in the Telegraph Good Garden Guide, and has been awarded a One-Star status. (That doesn’t sound all that good to me but I have no idea how the rating system works.) The guide is widely acknowledged as the essential reference book for those who enjoy visiting gardens. Each County is represented in the guide.
In Buckinghamshire there are 13 gardens, six of which have two-stars (including Cliveden and Waddesdon Manor) while 3 gardens have one-star. (including Old Thatch and Chenies Manor)
So perhaps they only have the two ratings - Good or Excellent.
The cottage is now owned by Jacky Hawthorne, a garden designer, and her husband David.
The gardens are open to the public and I believe they also serve Cream Teas. All the details can be found on their website.
A recently published book, called “Enid Blyton at Old Thatch” is by Tess Livingstone and reveals Enid Blyton’s inspiration locations found in her many books.
There are descriptions of roads, footpaths, houses and the river where the children in her books had their adventures.
It is published by Connor Court Publishing and you can read the first chapter here:-
Eranthis is an aconite
As everybody knows.
And helleborus niger is
Our friend ..the Christmas rose.
Galanthus is a snowdrop,
Matthiola is a stock,
And Cardamine the meadow flower
Which you call...lady’s smock.
I have never heard of that good garden guide but I think I should add the garden on my list of too visit!
ReplyDeleteHi Cherie,
ReplyDeleteI read about this the local paper, so there is no web link. It sounds like a good guide, because the gardens are put forward by members of the public who recommend them for consideration.
It says...the gardens are then inspected by an unbiased expert before inclusion. I expect you could find out about the guide from the Daily Telegraph site.
Glad to hear about the cream teas. It looked just the place for cream teas.
ReplyDeleteI bet you live not far from Devon.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of clotted cream and scones. Yummy!