Message text written by "John Carmichael" >According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, there is a new 132 ft. sundial in the new "Garden of Surprises" at Burghley House in Stamford England. <
Burghley is indeed one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan Age. Built and mostly designed by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I - and her spy master extraordinaire - between 1555 and 1587. Well worth a visit. It also hosts a prestigious three day equestrian event. Indeed it is the longest continuous running international event which this year runs from 30th August to 2nd September 2007. Opening in April 2007 the new Historical Garden of Surprises will be a major (they say fantastic!) addition to the gardens at Burghley. Hidden inside a two metre high Yew hedge will be an experience that will delight the senses. Mirrors will exaggerate, mazes confuse, squirts of water will distract, the dank moss house will captivate, transforming sculptures will dazzle, the grotto will entice and the so called "latitude dial" will educate and astonish! Entrance will be £6.00. Their web site says: "The Garden of Surprises is being created in the Eastern corner of the Burghley Deer Park next to the existing Sculpture Garden and the lower works yard some two hundred metres from the visitor entrance to Burghley House. Burghley has always been at the forefront of garden development and in the sixteenth century the first Lord Burghley was a passionate gardener and the employer of the Tradescants. One of his gardens was noted by diarists of the day as containing divers conceits, obelisks of many materials and a lead pond which was pleasant for bathing in the summer, as well as Caesars Heads contained in a circular building with a table made from touchstone. The amazing contents of the Garden of Surprises are inspired by this Tudor garden and will be hidden from the outside by the high Yew hedge. On entering the Garden through a large topiary gate visitors will be able to wander around the wildly different areas. Each area as shown on the detailed plan in the appendix will be beautifully kept and will be like nothing a visitor has seen before. Features such as the moss house, the swivelling busts, basins of water jets and the mirrored maze have been designed to be accessible to all regardless of age or interest. The garden will exude a real sense of fun. Visitors will then be able to enjoy a cup of tea at the new café situated in the old kennels adjacent. We must await to be astonished!! Patrick --------------------------------------------------- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
