We entered the rock garden and paused. As you would expect of a rock garden there are rocks, small rocks big rocks and even bigger rocks. The thought of of a rock garden doesn't appeal to me but I was impressed.
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The buggy driver stopped a number of times along the way to get out and speak to us directly. He was terrific. There were quite a number of facts and figures but this one stuck in my head, the number of gardeners at Chatsworth. Online figues don't agree with what the guide told us, but he said it is forty full time paid gardeners and sixty volunteer gardeners. There is a waiting list if you want to be a volunteer gardener at Chatsworth. But forty full full time paid gardeners gives you an idea of the running costs of the estate.
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Beauty just abounded.
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Margaret guessed why you should keep the name family name Cavendish in mind. In the western world if you just want a banana from a supermarket, a green grocer or a market it is almost certain you will buy a Cavendish banana. There other kinds of bananas to buy at times, sugar bananas, Lady Finger bananas. But your average basic banana is a Cavendish, originally bred right here in the Chatsworth greenhouses. All Cavendish bananas can be traced back to Chatsworth. I've only ever half noticed the name Cavendish on bananas and now I am seeing it everywhere. I had no idea and I was amazed to hear this.
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So there you go, Chatsworth House and it surrounding parkland. I was super impressed. I haven't delved deeply but its website looks quite slick and functional and there are some lush photos.
Dinner that night was at a pub in the old village. Quite ok.
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I am still envying you - but grateful for the beauty you shared. 'Dumb Debo' (which her sisters called her), did an amazing job in saving Chatsworth (for the family and the world).
ReplyDeleteDumb Debo married very well and hats off to her setting up Chatsworth to become a viable ongoing estate.
DeleteSo anyone can call any average person as any Cavendish? The buildings just look so fantastic. I can stay at the location photographing all day
ReplyDeleteAh Roentare, I know what the personal banana reference is about. I can't imagine how long a photographer could spend there, and that is not even the interior of the building.
DeleteYou went at the right time of year. England in her spring glory.
ReplyDeleteCaro, it was a bit chilly when we first arrived but it soon warmed up and we had pretty good weather. Yes, even late spring is glorious.
DeleteIt's huge and extravagant. I didn't know about the bananas.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, huge and extravagant describes rich English aristocracy well.
DeleteThe gardens are just fabulous. I knew the bananas I buy are called Cavendish but didn't know they were bred right there.
ReplyDeleteRiver, the banana news was astounding to me.
DeleteI must look at the next bananas I buy. I've never heard of Cavendish bananas.
ReplyDeleteIt takes an army of people to look after an estate like Chatsworth. I'm pleased the sun shone for you.
JB, the weather that day was good. Not too hot and not too cold and dry.
DeleteThank Andrew for the nod :)
ReplyDeleteMassive garden and maintenance for the staff and owners/caretaker.
It's certainly a beauty.
Margaret, I hope the present model of operation works and remains in place. It seems good to me.
DeleteI am not sure how much work gardeners must do in a rock garden. But if forty full time paid gardeners and sixty volunteer gardeners keep themselves busy, they must be working on lawns, bushes, trees, glass houses and perhaps hidden vegetable plots.
ReplyDeleteHels, maybe they even work in the fields at times. I don't know.
DeleteDid you see the herd of deer that roam freely across the estate? Out of interest please see this blogpost I created last year... https://beefgravy.blogspot.com/2022/10/chatsworth.html
ReplyDeleteNo we didn't see deer. The gardens are having problems with....badgers I think, turning over beds of grass and as we saw, making a right mess. I remember most of your post but not that you were at Chatsworth. I didn't comment, so I must have been on holidays somewhere.
ReplyDeleteAh, October last year was I think when the great blog disaster happened. I think I made the comment that now shows as Unknown. Strange that I never picked up on you being at Chatsworth.
Another place to put on our to explore list
ReplyDeleteDon't miss it TP.
DeleteI read an article years ago about Cavendish bananas and the creeping monoculture of the globe's banana cultivation. Apparently everyone's switching to the Cavendish because it resists pests and disease and ships well, but it's not the tastiest of the bananas.
ReplyDeleteSteve, no it probably isn't the tastiest. Yes commercial enterprise will always go for the most profitable. Mind, Cavendish bananas have been in our lives for a very long time.
DeleteOh my gosh. How wondrous. And forty gardeners. I wish I could borrow one. Hehe. I'll have to do a look see at what brand of bananas our store sells.
ReplyDeleteSandra, let us know about the bananas. I may have assumed too much.
DeleteThat is what you call a rock garden. It is certainly larger than any I have ever seen.
ReplyDeletePat, and you from a country that does rocks very plentifully.
DeleteNever heard of Cavendish bananas. I think ours are usually Del Monte or Chiquita.
ReplyDeleteI just knew somewhere in the western world did not have Cavendish bananas as I wrote that they would.
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