'Tulip mania' takes over National Trust's Dyrham Park
Amongst this year's flowers is a special plant created especially for the estate, called Tulipa Dyrham Park.In addition to the floral displays, the house is highlighting its historic links to the Netherlands with several ceramic items connected to the 17th Century tulip craze. Piers Horry, the park's garden and outdoor manager, said people during that time paid huge sums for individual examples of the flower.
"People were putting bulbs in the ground with the hope that they might get a rare or unique pattern. People were investing ridiculous sums of money into individual bulbs just so they could have that unique, absolutely rare tulip."The situation was completely unsustainable. It only lasted about three years. "In fact the whole tulip market collapsed in February 1637 which means people never even saw the tulips come out that they'd invested their entire life savings into," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
The Burns Project review – Scotland's national poet in all his glory and contradictions
We are sitting around a table in the sedate surroundings of the Georgian House, the Robert Adam-designed townhouse run by the National Trust for Scotland. James Clements, playing the part of Robert Burns, says something about the weather, and suddenly a streak of lightning cuts down the length of the table top. It has a gash down the middle for that very purpose. It is a sign of the attention to detail in Cora Bissett's excellent production. What could have been a by-the-numbers tribute to Scotland's national poet is altogether more subtle, imaginative and contentious. The long, undulating table, designed by Jenny Booth and cleverly lit by Elle Taylor, continues to play an unexpected part: Clements appears from beneath a domed plate cover in a scene of hungover contrition, while a cutlery boat sets sail under its own steam towards the West Indies. Oh yes, the West Indies. One of the inconvenient truths about this people's poet, the man who wrote the egalitarian A Man's a Man for a' That, is that it was only his newfound career as a published writer that stopped him heading to Jamaica to work in the slave trade. Clements's script, drawing on private letters and recently digitised historical archival material, plus the voices of modern commentators, does not gloss over this, nor the poet's womanising. Rather, it presents a rounded picture of a contradictory man who could write tender verse one minute and abandon a pregnant woman the next. Burns is embodied with gusto and rounded Ayrshire vowels by Clements, accompanied by Lisa Rigby, singing sweet renditions of favourites such as Ae Fond Kiss on guitar and shruti box. It works as both a primer to the short life of this farmer turned celebrity and a knotty study of his politics, compromises, artistic enthusiasms and colourful love life. At the Georgian House, Edinburgh, until 16 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- South Wales Argus
We visit Tredegar House's 'Summer of Play' for summer fun
Located within the beautiful and expansive grounds of the historic 17th century mansion leased by the National Trust, the Summer of Play involves a sensory-rich experience for children of all ages. A child playing in the sand at Tredegar House (Image: National Trust Images / James Beck) The courtyard, overlooked by the impressive stately home, is adorned with colourful bunting and creates the atmosphere of a typical seaside holiday. A large sand-pit complete with buckets and spades is surrounded by comfy deck-chairs, allowing parents to soak up the sun while keeping an eye on the kids. Tredegar House has partly been turned into a beach (Image: National Trust Images / James Beck) There is a range of interactive games and activities such as hoopla, child-sized beach huts and even a role-play ice-cream shop. There are also plenty of umbrellas and tents to shelter from the summer heat (or summer rain!). This new family- friendly experience is due to run again next summer as well as the summer after. There is even an ice cream parlour for little ones to play in (Image: National Trust Images / James Beck) General Manager of the South East Wales Portfolio of National Trust, Lizzie Smith Jones said: "To see everyone, from grandparents to toddlers, enjoying a Summer of Play at Tredegar House fills me and the team with so much joy. "The idea of bringing a beach here came to me while sitting on the sand in St Ives, Cornwall - surrounded by laughter and the simple sounds of families spending time together. It's wonderful to experience the beach in an urban setting, while taking in the view of the 17th-century mansion. "I feel we've truly captured the spirit of the seaside, creating moments steeped in nostalgia. It really is a celebration of everything we love about summer, and we hope everyone will visit." A child playing in the ice cream parlour (Image: National Trust Images / James Beck) There is plenty of space to lay your picnic blankets in Tredegar's picturesque gardens filled with shady trees, tropical plants and a beautiful lake. The family fun continues inside Tredegar House itself where little ones can play-dress up in costumes as kings and queens and get their regal photos taken. For older visitors (and younger too) take a trip into the past by walking around the beautiful Tredegar House and learn about its rich history. Its plethora of rooms have been preserved with original paintings and ornate furniture. Children are encouraged to get involved with the history of Tredegar House (Image: National Trust Images / James Beck) Different rooms are presented as they would have been throughout the centuries from the medieval era, 17th century, Victorian and even up to the 1960s when it was used as a girls boarding school. This welcoming and delightful programme is free of charge to National Trust members and available to locals at a discounted rate with the Local Residents Pass. The pass grants unlimited entry to the whole estate for your household. After the event finishes for the autumn, Tredegar House plans to run a Remembrance programme recognising 80 years since VE day. Tredegar House is set to host a celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day at the end of the summer (Image: NQ) Due to the estate's rich World War II history, where Tredegar House served as a GI base, the National Trust wishes to showcase the presence of the American soldiers all those years ago. As well as their Remembrance programme, Tredegar House are organising October half-term activities centred around their Welsh pixie character, Ruby. The National Trust estate is also planning to construct a new play area, which will be free of charge to use.
BBC News
07-08-2025
- BBC News
Groove Armada's Andy Cato says farming needs to be 'cool'
Andy Cato, DJ and one half of electronic music group Groove Armada, has told the BBC he is doing his best to make farming "cool" as he promotes regenerative practices as the tenant of a National Trust the farm on the Wiltshire-Oxfordshire border he said: "We need to live in a world where farming and food is cool and aspirational."Cato's style of farming involves trying to reverse biodiversity loss while still growing food and making it economically said it has not come without problems, calling over a decade of farming in France prior to the current farm a "humbling" experience. "There are a lot of days when I think I'm just going to play records on the beach in Ibiza, someone else can sort this out"What keeps me going is that we have a solution here to so many of the existing problems that we face - from health, to climate, to biodiversity. Once you've seen its potential, you can't really walk away from it," he farming aims to reintroduce microbes, nutrients and carbon back into the way of doing this includes planting different crops side by side and also sewing "cover" crops, which protect the soil between harvests to retain organic content. The star's journey into farming started when he was coming back from a gig and was handed a leaflet discussing the modern food going down a "rabbit hole" Cato took a big risk - selling his music publishing rights and bought a farm in France."Everything went completely wrong - a very humbling experience. {It was} a decade and a half long, often a quite painful journey of experimentation."It left an indelible mark not only on how hard farming is, but how lonely it is," he said adding that there are big decisions to made with just one opportunity a year to "set your course". Cato has now created a group of regenerative farmers called explained there is often a thought that "if you want more nature, you need less food", but does not see that this has to be case."We live in a world where it's a £7 pint and a £1 loaf - why are we valuing those things so differently?" Despite the challenges, Cato said: "There's no more fulfilling, exciting or intellectually challenging way to spend your time than combining nature and food production."That is after he has spent much of his life "standing on some of the worlds biggest stages and having a great time".
