Happy travellers and a puzzle, too!

[Lvandelft]

Brian, I reallly expected that more forumists would know this garden.
It's surely worth a visit when snowdrop time is over. I will wait no longer with my pictures from there.               
           
To save time we decided that Vroni would visit the Buckland Abbey and I make a visit to the nearby
gardens at Buckland Monachorum.  So we were both happy            
                                     
The gardens are very impressive with some beautiful plants.
Still rather much color in October!

The Garden House                                     
The Garden House borders                                     
Dahlia                                                     

[Lvandelft]

Very interesting was the African garden with enormous Chionochloa
                                           
African Garden                                             
Chionochloa rubra                                   
Viburnum setigerum   

[Lvandelft]

After my visit to the garden I went back to the Abbey, where I had to wait a short time and found a nice sunny place near the restaurant 

Buckland Abbey       

[Graham Catlow]

Luit, I enjoyed another garden visit without leaving the house.
I didn't recognise this one.
I'm not a snowdrop enthusiast but do like to see them en masse. Wouldn't travel too far though.
The Garden House is clearly worth a visit next time I'm down that way.

[Brian Ellis]

Very interesting was the African garden with enormous Chionochloa

Indeed Luit, when we there I was interested in the Eucomis!

[Lvandelft]

The next day we visited first the gardens of Castle Drogo.
The Castle is not spectacular but in the gardens were some interesting plants, like an orange Salvia and some nice stands with ferns. I show just a few pictures:              
Castle Drogo                                          
Castle Drogo Borders                                      
Asplenium scolopendrium
Polystichum polyblepharum                                
Salvia confertiflora                            
Salvia confertiflora cl.  

[Lvandelft]

Then we drove up North to make a visit to Pine Cottage Plants of Dick Fulcher, where I was told by some forumnists that I would find a special Agapanthus.
It's just a small nursery and we were lucky that Dick was at home, because he was about to leave for a trip to the Himalaya next Tuesday.
He insisted to show his private garden, and some other plants he loved in his glasshouses, but not before having a cup of tea with him and his wife.

Pine Cottage Plants 1
Pine Cottage Plants 2
Pine Cottage Plants - Dick Fulcher  
Pine Cottage Plants 3
Nerine                              
Agapanthus 1                                      
Agapanthus 2                            
Agapanthus 3
Lapageria rosea
Lapageria alba

[Lvandelft]

We had heard much of Dartmoor, so we decided to drive back to our base right trhough the moors.
We were very lucky (...) because that day was very foggy so it was just ok for experiencing this special area.
On the highest point of the road there was a bit more sight and I made a few pictures.
The wind was VERY strong and very cold too. Making a longer walk without boots was not possible.                                   
                               
Dartmoor

[Paddy Tobin]

I'm enjoying this travel report very much, Luit.

Many thanks, Paddy

[Armin]

Luit,
thank you for showing all those charming gardens and scenes.
 

[Brian Ellis]

Some lovely Nerines there Luit, my favourite has to be the Lapageria alba

[David Nicholson]

The wind was VERY strong and very cold too. Making a longer walk without boots was not possible.                                   
                               

Of course we Islanders would have been bare-foot

[Lvandelft]

The wind was VERY strong and very cold too. Making a longer walk without boots was not possible.                                   
                               

Of course we Islanders would have been bare-foot

I(ce)landers probably yes, David . But you ??

[Lvandelft]

On Sunday we wanted to visit some places along the S. Devon coast. When passing the outskirts of Torquay we saw many cars and people on an enormous field which seemed to be a Car Boot Sale. Being curious and  never seen such a “market” before we made a short stop.
At such a place people can buy all the rubbish which normally is thrown in the dustbins 
Some pictures of the place and people:

[Lvandelft]

We then drove on taking the ferry at Dartmouth to the coast, where we came to the Slapton Sands at Torcross.
This is an interesting place in the history of the Second World War, because in April 1944, American troops were training at Slapton for the D-Day invasion of northern France. The beach provided a good model for the conditions they would encounter on the Normandy coast.
On the night of the 28th, however, a flotilla of fast German attack boats arrived unexpectedly off the coast and took the trainees by surprise. Many of the American craft were sunk, and over 900 American GIs were killed before they had even had a chance to enter the war.
The most interesting part is that the tragedy was kept a top secret. By orders from general Dwight D. Eisenhower the survivors were strictly ordered not to talk about it.
After the Normandy invasion the incident was not revealed until 40 years later.
You may read more about this here
http://www.shermantank.co.uk/home.ikml