Police were waiting at the gate to check us over, and again as we got off the coach. We had been told to take full identity, with a photo – passport, driving licence or bus pass. Our coach was split into two groups, we were second, so had to stay on the coach for half an hour while we ate our lunch.
When it was our turn, first we were told by the hostess, and again after Prince Charles’ lovely presentation video by our tour guide, to make sure we all kept together as there were cameras everywhere and if we strayed off track the police would be after us within seconds! No photos allowed! No binoculars allowed! No recordings allowed! No mobile phones allowed! And I forgot to take a notebook so I could make notes! I couldn’t even remember the name of the Camassias prominent in the meadows that looked like fields of tall pointed bluebells, or the lovely scented delicate yellow Narcissi ‘Hawera’ that abounded, but fortunately there is a Highgrove gardens website.
Our tour started with the stumpery – my sort of a garden. I could have spent all day in there, but there was so much more to see, and we had to keep together, of course. I have to say I was very impressed with most things I saw, even the interesting, more formal looking topiary yews in pride of place down the driveway in front of the study. Someone has a sense of humour.
Wow! What a fantastic day we had! In spite of the bad weather forecast, the sun shone most of the time we were there, and it only started to rain when we were having a cream tea in Charlie boy’s dining room just before we got back on the coach. We were so lucky, as it had been tipping down and hailing at home apparently, and our garden tour guide said this was the first day she hadn’t got wet on the tour in weeks.
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