We recently visited
Hampton Court Palace next to the River Thames in Surrey. I'd never realised before how easy it is to get to (via a train from Waterloo) or how huge it is in terms of the Palace and Grounds. We only covered about half of it in the time we were there and, since they're only closed on the 24, 25 and 26 December, I expect we'll be going back to visit again sometime soon!
 |
Hampton Court Palace East Front and the Yews, October 2012
pen and ink and coloured pencils, 8" x 10" in Moleskine Sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell |
As we entered the gardens (this is
a map of Hampton Court Gardens) I was absolutely stunned to see the simply amazing size and shape of the Yew Trees in the Great Fountain Garden. Apparently some of them are 300 years old having been planted around about 1707 in the time of Queen Anne.
I gather the original idea was they should be kept tightly clipped but somehow over the years they just grew and grew until we have the amazing conical shapes we see today.
 |
Yews at Hampton Court Palace, October 2012
pen and ink and coloured pencils, 8" x 10" in Moleskine Sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell |
In this post you can see the two sketches I did while sat on one of the broad avenues bordered by the Yews which lead up to the Long Water - looking first one way and then the other.
I've since seen other images of them and I'm already thinking about better drawings I can make in the future!
Plus what I want to sketch in the rest of the Garden!
Oh, this sounds like a place I would love, too! Fun to 'hear' the enthusiasm in your voice about sketch opportunities here. Your version of the conical trees makes them look positively jaunty!
ReplyDeleteThey are - they all look like they're real characters!
ReplyDeleteActually looking again - at the horizon line - I think I've cropped on an angle by mistake!
ReplyDelete