Autumn Colors at the Westonbirt Arboretum !



As England welcomed Autumn Color Changes with clear blue skies, I decided to visit the Westonbirt National Arboretum and its unique collection of trees on glorious October Sunday. The Westonbirt Arboretum features the Silk Wood which origines are dating back to the 12th century and the Old Arboretum both covering 600 acres of land and offering more than 17 miles of paths and hosts a unique collection of rare trees including Maples. Visiting the Arboretum on a crisp and sunny day like this allowed me to capture the Autumn Color Changes as Mother Nature was dressing the trees in reds, oranges and gold. I spent the morning walking through the Old Arboretum and the afternoon in the Silk Woods. For lunch, two large barbecue stands were offering made to order scrumptious hotdogs and beef burgers and needless to say that after walking miles in Nature, the smell of the barbecue was heaven !







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History of the Westonbirt Arboretum

The Holford Family




The Holfords are thought to have come to Britain at the time of William the Conqueror and were granted land in Cheshire by one of the Barons who helped William to subdue the English. They anglicised their surname in 1316, from de Runchamp and are thought to have chosen their name “Holford” from a small hamlet near their land located in the Plumley area.

The earliest of the Holfords known in Gloucestershire was Richard, a 29 year old barrister who married Sarah Crew a 16 year old girl who had been left Westonbirt Manor by her father, John Crew. At this time the estate consisted of arable and pasture producing wool and grain. The dew pond dates from this time. Little is known of Sarah after her marriage and she is thought to have died young and childless. Richard eventually had three wives, the third wife being Susannah.

On Richard's death, the estate passed to his son, Robert, who by his own account was not entirely happy with the estate. Indeed in 1730 he wrote:

“When my father died he left me a small estate in Gloucestershire about 3 miles from Badminton with a large house upon it, and entailed it so that I could not dispose of it, for it being a good way off and I having no great liking to ye country, I did once think of endevouring by Act of Parliament to disencumber myself of it”

Thankfully this ensured the estate remained in the family, and it duly passed to Peter Holford (1719-1803) when Robert died in 1753. Peter was the grandfather to Robert Stayner Holford (1808-1892) the original creator of Westonbirt Arboretum. He was also at one time the Governor of the New River Company – the source of the Holford’s wealth.



Robert Holford inherited Westonbirt aged 31 in 1839. His wealth was considerable – he had inherited a million pounds and six estates from a batchelor uncle in 1838. It is also rumoured that a wheelbarrow full of gold was found in the cellar of the house that his uncle had owned on the Isle-of-White. This allowed Robert the freedom to develop the arboretum as we see it today.

His son George Holford (1860-1926) continued his work and is responsible for many of the original maple and rhododendron plantings. Sir George is also credited with expanding the arboretum across the valley into Silk Wood. Planting here involved clearance of the semi-natural woodland that had occupied the site for many centuries. The three drives, Willesley Drive, Broad Drive and Waste Drive, were created with wide verges and bays for ornamental trees.

Sir George Holford died in 1926 leaving no heir and the estate passed to his nephew, the Fourth Earl of Morley. In 1927 the mansion was sold to become a girls school and so the estate was split. The Fourth Earl died in 1951 and the estate passed to his brother, the Fifth Earl. By now, lack of maintenance, greatly exacerbated by the war, had left the arboretum in a poor state and the new owner decided to part with it. In 1956 the entire 240 hectares (600 acres) were handed over to the Forestry Commission and a new chapter in its history began.

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Here are a few pictures of my day at the Westonbirt Arboretum ...

















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Thank you for following this escapade to the Westonbirt Arboretum and stay tuned for the next postcard ...

Welcome to the Birmingham German Christmas Market !

The largest Christmas Market outside of Germany ( in association with the town of Frankfurt )





As England was welcoming Winter with freezing temperatures and the first snow falls, I decided to revisit a place I always enjoy visiting at that time of the year : The Birmingham German Christmas Market which is the largest of its kind outside Germany, in association with the town of Frankfurt.

Located in the pedestrian area of Birmingham better known as New St and more than a long mile, the German Christmas Market brings a touch of magic in this busy town and is full of the colors, scents and excitement of Christmas.

Whether you are loking for handmade Christmas ornaments which you will find in all shapes and forms from glass to wood, my favorite being the wooden painted soldiers from the Nut Cracker, to traditional linen and even fur, something will definitely catch your eyes.

And for those who enjoy food, the Birmingham Christmas Market is a paradise which caters for all tastes from the fresh fruits on a skewter dipped into chocolate, to pancakes, apfel strudel and other German pastries, not to forget the amazing hotdogs filled with a variety of german sausages.

Wherever you are in the Market, freshly cooked food will appeal to your senses and why not indulging in a hot glass of Gluhwein ( Mulled Wine ) "spiced up with Rum" or a pint of refreshing German beer ?

Millions of visitors are expected to visit this now traditional Birmingham landmark and the market can get very busy on Saturdays and Sundays but definitely worth a visit for those like me who enjoy the spirit of Christmas or those who are just looking for some inspiration

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