This is one of the beautiful roses at Mottisfont Abbey - it's name is Crimson Glory. I think this was one of the ones growing against the walled courtyard as you proceed through towards the gardens from the entrance.
We stopped at the bridge over the River Itchen (the Test and the Itchen are Hampshire's two great chalkstream rivers, famed for their fishing).
As you can see, the view from the opposite side of the bridge showed some of the Trout that these rivers support. Dear old Jack Hargreaves would have loved this sight.
Beautiful Mottisfont Abbey.
This lovely bridge across the Test reminded me of Monet's gardens at Giverny.
No label, but isn't it pretty? One to try and track down I think.
I thought this was Lady Waterlow, having taken a photo of the nameplate in the ground beneath it, but on-line photos show Lady Waterlow being a deeper pink than this and I can now see a different (unreadable) label on the left!
Single Cherry is the name of this deep pink rose.
The plantings were lovely - this large white Clematis was scrambling up a wall between roses, with a Potentilla and a lovely deep purple Iris in front of it.
Another stretch of herbaceous border.
This is Double Blanche.
Here is Tricia, the birthday girl, sitting gratefully in a shady corner for a while. It was a really hot day and it was good to just sit and watch the world go by out of the sun for a bit.
This climber is Ards Rover.
A sea of Nigella.
Glorious white Paeonies. Sharon - I saw these and thought of you!
Label too fuzzy a photo to read! but such a pretty rose.
A cooler spot to pause by, as we headed homewards.
A final view of the gardens.
