Burg Verhildersum, Leens, Groningen Province, Netherlands is a kind of Dutch equivalent of the English Country House.

From approach path:-

Entrance:-

The Burg is surrounded by a moat. In many ways it reminded me of Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk which we had visited a few days before.

Moat and cafe from bridge to entrance:-

View to side. Note topiary:-

Further round moat going anti-clockwise:-

Gardens and topiary to rear:-

View of rear of the Burg:-

Reverse side view:-

Moat to left side of entrance:-

https://flic.kr/p/2pJZUYn

Bridge in the Chinese Garden at Hortus Botanicus Horen:-

A huge carp was keeping position by swimming against the flow here. It was the only fish we saw there. We assumed it had eaten any others:-

I managed to photograph one of the many dragonflies:-

Waterfall:-

Video:-

Tunnel just to left of waterfall:-

Video with frog calls:-

https://flic.kr/p/2pJv1km

The good lady loves gardens. Her brother knew of this one relatively near to his home so we took the chance to visit.

Entrance pagoda to Chinese Garden:-

Dragon wall:-

There were other pagoda like buildings scattered around the Chinese Garden:-

In my post about the view from one of the towers of Elgin Cathedral I mentioned there was a garden on the other side of the road.

Garden path:-

Just to the left in the background above you can see some sort of structure. Closer up it appears to mirror the cathedral:-

Some of the planting:-

Rockery and path:-

Elgin Cathedral from path:-

https://flic.kr/p/2pv5BUU

Dumfries House has extensive gardens and grounds. These had fallen into disuse but have been under reconstruction since the then Prince of Wales took interest in the Estate.

Belvedere from garden:-

Flowerpot Men:-

Fountains:-

https://flic.kr/p/2oP891D

Leith Hall is a country house near Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire. It was the home of the Leith-Hay family for nearly 300 years but is now run by the National Trust for Scotland. Since we were in the area last August we took the chance to visit it.

The Hall from the approach road:-

Back of house:-

At each side of the entrance gate to the Hall’s garden are Pictish Symbol Stones:-

Its gardens are nicely laid out.

Garden pathways:-

Feature wall:-

Walled garden from tower:

Walled garden interior (note sundial in topiary area):-

More of walled garden:-

Close-up on sundial:-

Espaliered fruit trees:-

Surroundings of Castle Fraser:-

Great Hall:-

Library:-

Ornate doorway:-

One of the lairds did military service and lost a limb. He commissioned prosthetic legs to wear, of which this is one:-

As it was our anniversary on Monday we decided to visit Jupiter Artland, a Sculpture Park and Art venue near Wilkieston in West Lothian.

At present it is hosting an exhibition of paintings/drawings by Tracey Emin under the collective title “I Lay Here For You.” These smaller works were split between the Ballroom and an exhibition space in the Park’s Steadings. I must say I’m not taken with Emin’s painting/drawing skills. The best bit about the Ballroom was the building’s ceiling.

The garden outside the Ballroom was pleasantly planted:-

There’s what looks like a paddling pool in the grounds. It’s not really. There are signs asking you to stay on the black area for a start. The estate’s “Big House” is in the background here:-

We also partook of lunch in the café. The menu was abit pretentious but the food was good.

On the way in you drive past some Charles Jencks landforms called Cells of Life. Below is a stitch from four photos:-

Closer view of Charles Jencks landforms at Jupiter Artland with a red bridge in middle distance:-

In our later stroll through the grounds we came closer to that bridge. It’s named Only Connect and is by Ian Hamilton Findlay:-

The Quarry by Phyllida Barlow. The colours on the columns are a bit faded but reminded me of totem poles:-

The Rose Walk is by Pablo Bronstein:-

One of the installations is Weeping Girls, created by Laura Ford. I didn’t photgraph that one as I found the figures rather creepy.

Signpost to Jupiter. I note the distance is given in USian. (Since a meter is a measuring device not a length the better spelling is kilometres):-

There is a Tracey Emin sculpture titled I Lay Here for You in the grounds.

To give some idea of the location here is a phptgraph of three bridges across the River Forth as seen from Jupiter Artland. The Forth Bridge (right,) The Forth Road Bridge (centre,) The Queensferry Crossing (left.)

There are two formal gardens in the grounds of Glamis Castle.

Walled garden gateway:-

Walled garden interior:-

Italian garden entrance:-

Italian garden interior:-

Glamis Castle from Italian garden:-

Fountain in Italian garden:-

Italian garden and trees:-

In the castle grounds we found this “fairy ring” of fungi:-

Colourful fungi:-

Thee’s a frog in this one just below left of the leftmost mushroom:-