The Cascade Circuit

In this last in the series of posts from Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire join me for a walk around the parkland, and the Cascade Circuit, which is about a mile and takes in the wooded gardens and lakes around the Hall, with plenty of vistas along the way.

The parkland was redesigned by Capability Brown following a request from the 5th Baronet in 1771 replacing an earlier eighteenth century garden. Capability Brown continued to visit over the years to monitor the progress as his plans were brought into fruition.

He designed the landscapes to be both practical and elegant, and the expansive lakes were made to appear as if they were a river running through the landscape. Similarly by using a ha ha and avoiding fences’ the parkland also appears to be indefinite. The house wasn’t open when we visited but it’s said that the views from the windows are spectacular and even today you can clearly see how he created vistas across the landscape, frame carefully by trees and other natural features.

Which is amazing really, as given how long ago the parkland was designed and how much nature tends to grow, as I’m discovering with my own garden after returning from holiday!

The views from the Palladian Bridge were spectacular; the bridge itself stands at the end of three linked lakes in the park it was designed by Capability Brown in the style of the renaissance architect Palladio and makes a great statement as well as acting as a dam for an existing stream.

It looked like it might rain as we set out along the side of the lake towards the Cascade, but thankfully it held off.

We couldn’t resist a peek into the Old Ice House which dates from 1759 and has recently been restored. The building’s walls are multi-layered which kept the ice from the lake insulated, it was then crushed and moved to a deep shaft beneath the Hall for use in the kitchen.

We crossed the bridge, pausing mid way to enjoy the replacement Cascade; the original was destroyed with the dam further upstream burst in the 1950s. And it was quite a view.

At this point we headed through a field of sheep watching carefully where we walked - hence no photos! - and back towards the Hall. After a snack and a cup of tea in the cafe (well worth a stop) we were soon heading back to our hotel and wondering at how we’d managed to book somewhere so close to this fabulous garden completely unknowingly!

But we’re ever so glad we did.

A quilting triangle challenge

The Exe Valley Contemporary Quilt Group displayed their triangle challenge quilts at the 2026 Newark Quilt Show, and the results were thought provoking as perhaps not all of the triangles were quite what you’d think. Many quilting blocks use triangles, notably the half square triangle, which is pretty self descriptive. But the group’s challenge allowed any medium or technique, and the only criterion was that the quilt should include at least one recognisable triangle of any size.

I loved to see how the individual quilters interpreted the challenge, and I hope you do too. The challenges are set by members and quilters from across the region from North Dorset to South Cornwall participated.

Here’s some of the ones I loved from the display:

LET’S GO FLY A KITE BY SALLY HARRADINE

If triangles were the challenge my mind wouldn’t automatically go to kites, but the inspiration for this one came from looking out the window on a blowy day and thinking that it would be fun to fly kites with the grandchildren - and so the triangles are incorporated in amongst the kites, in what I think is a really effective and dreamy looking quilt.

I’ll admit that the next one is my favourite from this display, I love its contemporary-ness, plus it uses scraps and simple stitches, and hand sewing - all of which appeal to me.

TWELVE TRIANGLES BY JANE SYERS

TWELVE TRIANGLES BY JANE SYERS

But look at the detail, and how the triangles are included. So very clever, meets the brief in a quiet and understated but also impactful way. Bravo!

NOT SO TRADITIONAL HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES BY PENNY KUROWSKI

NOT SO TRADITIONAL HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES BY PENNY KUROWSKI

I mentioned half square triangles at the top of this post, and this quilt uses them in a not so traditional way, again with scraps but also the plain triangle is organza, which is way harder to sew with so I take my hat off to this quilter and her shimmery creation.

COLOURS OF ANDALUCIA BY MANDY WINTER

I love the colours and patterns in this quilt which is inspired by visits to Spain, and influenced by and created in the style of artist Poul Webb. The triangles form the sky and the grassland, but also the mountains are kind of triangles too right?

So it just goes to show, not all triangles are equal, or even equilateral!

Looking ahead to the 2026 Gardeners' World Live

* I have been invited to the press preview of Gardeners’ World Live and provided with a pair of tickets to visit the show once it opens, therefore all my posts will be marked as 'Ad’ though as usual my views and opinions are very much my own.

As ever the Gardeners’ World team have an amazing line up planned for the show, and my plan is as always to see as much of it as I can, I’m fortunate to have been invited to the press preview again this year - and more importantly didn’t book a holiday that clashed with that this year.

There’s plenty of things returning for this year’s show, as well as plenty of new things to experience - my list is long, but here’s what I’m looking forward to:

1 Professor Alice Roberts and Professor David Stevens’ headline Show Garden - The Evolution Garden

Anatomist, biological anthropologist, author and broadcaster Professor Alice Roberts and acclaimed international garden designer Professor David Stevens are creating this year’s headline Show Garden, which will trace the evolution of plants and life forms through to the present day. I’m told the highlights will include a tunnel entrance, a central path that travels through time, primitive plants and the beginnings of human life, and that Alice will host live, daily conversations from the garden. It sounds intriguing doesn’t it?

2 The Show Gardens & APL Avenue Gardens

There’s an interesting line up this year with Show Gardens by award-winning design teams including:

• The FSC®UK Forests for Everyone Garden which highlights the plight of tropical forests featuring two contrasting zones – one lush, tropical garden featuring plants under threat, and another showing the stark effects of deforestation.

• An exotic urban garden named The Heart of the Jungle,

• The Artist’s Garden by students from Derby College which blends artistic expression with the practical charm of a traditional country cottage garden.

The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) are celebrating 10 years at this year’s show, and some of their member’s gardens this year include:

• The Umbrellas Garden inspired by the French New Wave film ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ - I’m not much of a film fan, but it will be interesting to see how this interpretation works.

• The Constant Companion interests me as it’s by a team based in Melton Mowbray, not too far from us. The garden aims to celebrate the relationship between human and garden, man and nature, and there’s some interactive elements too.

• The Mill Ruins is by another Lincolnshire team which has been inspired by the sites of old Lancashire Mills, which for many the only remaining evidence is a few brick walls, old doorways and the like. I’ve a feeling that this one will be hugely impactful and emotional.

3 The Showcase Gardens

These are always a favourite of mine for their visual impact and the huge amount of achievable inspiration they provide, this year I’ll be looking out for:

• Trains in the Garden which celebrates 30 years of voluntary railway service and a life-long interest in trains and railways.

• Dark Side of the Bloom, a nostalgic tribute to teenage years.

• The Folklorians Garden which explores ancient stories about plants.

• Greenhouse Noir a contemporary, immersive retreat that highlights how even a modest footprint can become a striking, modern sanctuary.

• And always a lover of pink, this one has me intrigued: The Power of Pink Plants!

4 The Beautiful Borders

This year there’s more than 30 Beautiful Borders for me to get round and see, and I can’t wait. The theme this year is ‘Once Upon a Time’ so I’m hoping for plenty of stories to share…

5 Adam Frost’s Tasting Table

Adam’s back again with cooking demonstrations, summer food inspiration and guests from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and Good Food. James Martin, Si King, Lisa Faulkner, Barney Desmazery and Perry Wakeman (Rennet & Rind, award-winning cheesemongers) join him. This year’s sessions include home produce from the Packington Estate in Warwickshire, the new home of BBC Gardeners’ World from 2027.

6 The Marquee

It’s an absolute assault on your senses, even more so on show day - and it has so much to see. I’m hoping to share more of that with you over the next year, including the gallery of new plants known as ‘Hot Off The Potting Bench’ and the International Orchid Show, which is actually a ‘show within a show’. I love orchids, but I just don’t seem to be able to keep them alive for long, maybe I’ll pick up some tips from the experts.

7 The Smoke & Fire Festival

This is new for this year and the Gardeners’ World team tell me grill fans will love it. It features an outdoor cookery school, stage talks, shopping and a kitchen garden - and it will probably provide heaps of inspiration for the new barbecue MOH tells me we need!

8 The Good Food Show Summer

We always wander around this part of the show, usually when we’re hungry - and we’re not disappointed. This year’s guests include James Martin, Si King, Lisa Faulkner, The Fletchers (Fletchers’ Family Farm), and Dr. Chintal Patel.

It’s going to be a busy day out, again - and I love it!