Dell and I went to Harkness Memorial State Park in New London, Connecticut, on Saturday and spent more than three hours in the formal gardens and the rock garden, around the mansion (that closed for tours on September 12 until next spring), and along the water's edge. This beautiful mansion, built in 1907, sits on 200 acres and rolls right into Long Island Sound. It was once a working farm. Edward and Mary Harkness were philanthopists who were very generous with the money Edward had inherited from his father--a harness maker who had wisely invested in Standard Oil when that was a new idea.
Dell and I stretched out on the lawn after lunch and watched the butterflies flitting about the cosmos, lavender, zinnias, dahlias, butterfly bushes, and countless other incredibly gorgeous flowers. Bucolic beauty, peace, quiet, and a bit of the Sound-tamed Atlantic on a breezy, sunny September day. Nothing better!
This part of Connecticut is saturated with the good stuff: Ocean Beach Park, the Submarine Force Museum, Fort Trumbull, Fort Griswold, Mystic. (More photos of Harkness are here.)
My World Tuesday
31 comments:
beautiful photo and very interesting p0st!
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What delightful place and such a great place to spend some time just relaxing! Your photos are gorgeous, as always and the next best thing to being there myself! Sounds like a lovely weekend! Hope it got your week off to a great start! Enjoy your day, Sandy!
Sylvia
What a wonderful place to spend some time. And you can beat a beautiful garden and a beach!!! Wowzers!
Hugs
SueAnn
Picture says everything, excellent post
That is a great spot, lovely shots.
sounds like a relaxing afternoon
What serenity and joy exude from your photos. You've captured the essence of a perfect day.
What a beautiful place and lovely light on the water. Thanks for the walkabout.
I visited the park years ago and am so glad to be reminded of the trip!hugs
Sandi
What a beautiful place. The gardens look very beautiful and also such a lovely location on the water.
Sounds like a little piece of Heaven. And since there were no tours I bet there were no crowds. I'd like that.
An outing of which I fully approve. What wonderful grounds, the perfect place to while away a few hours.
a gorgeous saturday well spent.
looks like a great place to stroll around. wonderful photos.
What a place. Beautiful. Looks like some old Standard Oil stock money put to good use.
you should have taken photos of the butterflies among the flowers Sandy, and have shared it with us!
Thanks for sharing a beautiful history and memorial pics dear!
It looks like a lovely place!
A place where time seems to know another, different pace.
Please have a good Tuesday.
daily athens
Lovely!
Absolutely lovely!
:)
It looks peaceful.
lovely and peaceful ~ great place to "renew" your spirit
I enjoyed this interlude, Sandy
Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
Magnificent place. The garden and rock garden are beautiful.
This definitely looks like a great place to spend a sunny afternoon. Thanks for sharing it with us.
the garden looks serene, especially with an oriental statue. lovely photos.
Beautiful images. I love the way you described how you relaxed watching the nature around....
xoxo
Beautiful garden; splendid house. Great captures. :-)
What a gorgeous day. I love those stone walls. You took me there with your description of lying there in the grass...aahhhhh. What a wonderful day. It is funny that you posted a picture of this beautiful knot garden as I have been working in my pitaful excuse for a knot garden today.
You could set a gothic novel there.
Sandy: What an interesting place to visit.
Found your blog today. Very interesting post. Love to low shrub garden. Nice photos.
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