Hunter Valley Gardens

Date: 13 August 2008 03:44:35

Thank you all again for the comments on the post below; they are much appreciated and valued. Feeling alright, though, as may be expected, I still have the occasional unsteady moment or thought. But I am fine: thanks and praise to the blessed Trinity.

Apart from that small hiccough at the end I had a most wonderful time in Canberra, particularly seeing Semele again and to hear beautiful, beautiful music. But more of that in the days ahead...I still have to regale you with tales of the Hunter.

The Hunter Valley Gardens are simply superb, and in my view a must-see. I do not know a daisy from a venus fly-trap, so I'm fairly useless in floral terms, but I do love the beauty, variety and colours of flowers and trees -- and the Hunter Valley Gardens added so much more. Not sure if it is the yellow, as my love of wattle may've attested to, but I loved the bright colours of the daffodils and a rare rose in bloom:

I picked the right weekend to go -- there was a chocolate festival at the Gardens. I bought myself some Dagoba Hot Chocolate and a Cocoa Camino Orange Chocolate Bar. I have enjoyed the hot chocolate and look forward to tasting the orange chocolate soon: I cannot believe I've resisted it for so long.

The Storybook Garden was a delight. From Wee Willy Winkie to Hey Diddle Diddle, from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party to Little Bo-Beep and Quite Contrary Mary, the kids around me, and the adults [me included] enjoyed it all. Beautiful topiary too. And, of course, I needed a photo not only with Humpty but also with Jack and Jill [I heard from a friend that her mother took a similar pose with Jack and Jill!]:

The other parts of the Gardens were equally as stunning; areas ranged from an Indian Garden to a Japanese Garden to a Chinese Garden to a Rose Garden [roses not in bloom, so it was rather bare], and much in between. Even St Francis got a look in in the Italian Garden. Some of my favourite views:

Before the Gardens, I had headed for a drive to the town of Wollombi. Two beautiful churches and an interesting courthouse [with prisoner exercise yard; but what particularly grabbed me were two sculptures by Jesse Graham, Russel and Bruno: fascinating.