Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, England Part 2 The grounds.

After the formality and grandeur of Chatsworth House itself, the gardens offer an open space of over 100 acres which is available to the public for walking, admiring the many sculptures, paths, views and of course, the shops and cafe.  Even though the gardens are very popular with families and children, they never seem to be crowded and there are many opportunities to walk along quiet paths enjoying the flowers, plants, trees and unexpected works of art.  After my extensive tour of Chatsworth House itself with my excellent guide Deborah Hill of ClassicBritishDramaTours.com, I decided to make my tour of the gardens on the small tram for about 6 people which provides an easy way to get an excellent overview of the gardens without any significant physical exertion.  The gardens were begun by Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick in about 1555 and have been in continual cultivation ever since.  Of course, many changes have been made over the intervening centuries including the work of the justly famous Launcelot Capability Brown (1617-1683.)  I have provided a few carefully chosen photos of the gardens but it is really impossible to convey the loveliness of the green trees, flowers, greenhouses, lakes, fountains and natural wonders of the gardens.  If you plan to visit England, I strongly suggest a visit to Chatsworth House and I recommend planning a full afternoon to explore the gardens.  Had I not expended so much energy in touring the house, I should have liked to explore the gardens on foot,  Incidentally, take a close look at the last photo attached to this blog post.  It is the steeple of St. Peter’s Church in the village of Edensor and will figure prominently in the third and final installment of our visit to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, England.

The Gardens at Chatsworth House.