Newstead's gardens

Newstead Abbey has wonderful gardens. Set in a wooded estate (once part of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest), it has a series of lakes, formal ponds, several beautiful walled gardens, a Victorian fernery and an interesting Japanese-style garden. At one time, the gardens were managed by the son of some friends of my parents. He had spent some time in Japan and married a Japanese girl, so he knew something about Japanese gardens and did a good job of restoring it.

Newstead's large estate also holds a number of elegant houses, well-hidden from view among the trees. When I was a teenager, one of my friends lived in one of them; I was always envious!