Day Tripper

I went to Biddulph Grange garden with Imaginary Friend a couple of weeks ago. It's a stunning 'global' garden built by a scumbag mine-owner creationist in the 19th century. He landscaped the grounds of his house (now luxury flats "inexplicably and tastefully re-modelled by the current owners"!) so that it was ingeniously divided into separate areas populated by flora from different continents, to stunning effect - the Chinese garden is amazing, even featuring a 'Great Wall of China'. There's also a (damaged) pavilion of fossils and geology, designed to persuade you of the literal truth of Creationism. Did you know that God created ferns so that they could become coal for us, while Orchids came later, to soothe and please man after his exertions (i.e. mining?).

Click on these pictures for larger versions, and the rest are here. The gardens are really well worth visiting. You won't believe you're in Stoke-on-Trent! Pictures taken on IF's lovely new Canon - I didn't have mine with me.