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:-

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:-

Bowes Museum is housed in an imposing building in Barnard Castle, County Durham:-

Bowes Museum and formal garden. Barnard Castle’s War Memorial is in the distance to the right here:-

Model of Bowes Museum inside museum:-

Topiary in formal garden. Barnard Castle War Memorial in background:-

Topiary from museum’s upper floor. Barnard Castle War Memorial to back left:-

When I was up north for the Peterhead game in August last year we took the chance to visit Pitmedden Garden as it’s always been somewhere the good lady wanted to see.

In the formal garden there’s some odd topiary:-

A fountain:-

A pond:-

Some geometric planting:-

An upper terrace with a semi-circular sculpture at the far end:-

The terrace gives a good view of the formal garden:-