Rosarian49's photostream  

An ancient forest with ferns and mossy rocks caught our eye when hiking round Crummock Water, Cumbria, in October 2009. Best on black.

The builder, and possibly its designer, of this neat 9-room villa was the engineer and entrepreneur Robert Thom, who bought the property in 1830. Thom's main achievement on the Isle of Bute was to provide parts of it with water - there's still a reservoir named after him. The house, now owned by The Landmark Trust, is surrounded by a vast landscape park, which, however, is no longer properly maintained. The house can be rented for holiday.

The interior of this 9-room villa, built by the engineer and entrepreneur Robert Thom in the 1830s and now owned by The Landmark Trust, has retained much of its original substance and atmosphere.

The tree stands close to the sea shore, next to Shore Cottage. It was suggested by a viewer that the fern is probably a Polypodium interjectum.

A large herbaceous border planted in 2000 by James Alexander-Sinclair, containing Crocosmia, Helenium, probably Centaurea and Phlomis samia. A beech hedge provides protection and gives a feeling of seclusion. Best view on black.