We went to Renishaw Hall, home to the Sitwells - a truly fabulous family, with names like Raresby and Sacheverell. I am quite undone by these names and now want to re-name my own boy....I mean....SACHEVERELL - what's not to adore and astonish in equal measure...I ASK you????

Anyhow, the garden is a glorious italianate confection of yew hedgery, lawnery, statuary and agapanthusary.

Wow hedging...

...with nasturtium growing through it at every opportunity

Grand pots of agapanthus on all the terraces

Bunny rabbits adoring something up a tree...

Views

..and very sumptuous late summer borders

We had  a picnic on the lawn...the place is chilled and happy and entirely devoid of prissiness....slightly ramshackle, which I adore. Lovely woodland walk for children too. Thumbs up.