Castle gardens in spring--is there any better place to be? It's easy to imagine yourself in the Regency Era wandering down these green lanes of trees and flowers, exchanging small talk, and contemplating this Season's available bachelors...Of course then I remind myself that if I did find myself in the Regency Era the odds that I would be a titled lady and not some suffering servant is slim to none! Still, it's hard to get that period of history out of your mind while walking around the Lismore Castle Gardens (which thankfully are now open to all of the public, titled or not!) since this castle was also chosen as the setting for the film version of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. It's far too easy to imagine yourself as Catherine inventing Gothic horrors in your head while gazing up at the imposing castle, although on a sunny spring day as this one it's hard to imagine anything dark or mysterious happening inside those stone walls. The castle is still a private residence which means explorations are limited to the gardens, but with several types of gardens to wander--from the formal to the towering yew tree avenues and romantic meadows, all with views of the majestic castle behind--there's plenty to see outside those walls worth paying a visit here. Gardens tend to be my favorite stop on any castle or manor house tour and with spring just starting to bloom here, the Lismore gardens did not disappoint.
CONVERSATION