Mid-week I visited Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. I had seen images of couples in front of the house on their wedding day, but had not visited until now.
Like with Belton House, and Clumber Park, I main a b-line to the Orangery. I had seen images online, and was intrigued by the state of dilapidation.
The Decline
The Orangery's story of decline through flaking paintwork, cracked plaster, overgrown gardens, to reflect the general state of decay, is echoed throughout Calke's Gardens and Abbey. Calke The National Trust started caring for Calke in 1985. Vital restoration work was carried out on the glass dome of the rundown Orangery, one of the oldest surviving garden buildings, dating back to 1777, and was completed in 2003.
The Orangery houses a small collection of slightly tender plants, predominantly from a Mediterranean climate, such as Palms, Aeonium arboreum, Brugmansi a suaveol, Weeping fig, Chillies, and Agave americana.
If you have enjoyed this post, then you may wish to visit the other three in this series of fleeting visits pending revisits when the gardens are at their fullest in 2023.
Previous - Belton House Orangery & Gardens
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Thank you for visiting
Gina