Chatsworth House in the snow, 28th December 2014

A very cold day today but so bright. Ice cascaded from the roof, breaking four pots. a small cloche and cutting the life from a number of plants I had been hoping to feature here. For therapy we travelled to nearby Chatsworth House in Derbyshire.

One of the premier houses in England, Chatsworth looked fabulous in the snow, the shadow from the huge fountain making its diagonal path across the untouched white.

The Derbyshire countryside and in the distance St Peter' s Church and Edensor Village

The Emperor Fountain named after Tsar Nicholas 1. He never actually visited the estate to see Joseph Paxton's impressive and record breaking construction.

Deborah Cavendish, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, sculptured wonderfully by Angela Conner. The late Duchess was very much loved. It is very largely due to her work and imagination that the estate and house live on in their present majestic state.

I did not snowball Prince Charles, honest! A purely natural phenomena and very funny.

Giant American Redwood.

Such an interesting close-up.

Sir Joseph Paxton completed the Great Conservatory in 1840, a construction so large that Queen Victoria drove through it in her carriage. The First World War was its downfall, with maintenance and manpower impossible to continue. It was demolished in 1920 leaving only part of its outer shell to house what is now a maze. Interestingly, one may still enter one of  the tunnels underneath, built for the underground rail wagons to transport coal for heating.

  

A snow blossom tree with steam rising due to the bright sunshine.

Glasshouses old and new.

Capability Brown's "natural" backdrop.

The Cascade completed in 1708. There was still a faint trickle of water.

The Dukes of Devonshires' family motto “Cavendo Tutus”, the giant urns and giant window casements have been recently restored in gold leaf, but just as eye-catching is the cleaned stonework.