Progress Report...

Spring has burst forth at Willowbrook, with daylight savings time starting last weekend. Building progress is springing forth too. After the wet and dark winter months we are so looking forward to the sun and light (a metaphor for the long journey with this project in general I think). Here are some photos of where things are up to so far...

Above: The tulip "Princess Irene".

Above: View of the front of manor from the site of the future courtyard fountain.

Below: View of the foyer and front door.

 Above and Below: Photos of the front door and the vestibule under the long gallery. 

The marble has arrived for the staircase (below) and will be fitted this coming month. In the photo below you can see the salon on the left, the hallway to the dining room to the right of the staircase, the China room to the right of that and the foyer to the right of that.

The Music Room...

Above: View towards the piano corner, with ballroom to the right and salon to the left. 

Below: The view towards the salon with terrace on left and doors to hallway and billiard room on right.

Below: Close up of the cornice, column and decorative plaster motif of a lyre, trumpet and garlands.

Below: View through to the ballroom.

Below: View of The Ballroom out to terrace.

Above: View of ballroom towards the mirrored wall (currently in black render), with the music room and terrace to left.

Below: Detail of cornicing and columns and arched French windows.

Above: View from mirrored wall.

Below: View through the Music Room to the Salon.

Below: View of The Salon towards Music Room with loggia and terrace through French windows on right.

Above and Below: The China Room in vivid Jasperware blue ("Jasper" by Resene paints).

Above: The billiard room, looking towards fireplace.

Below: The wooden paneling starting to be placed around the walls. The door architraves and skirting boards have yet to be stained to match.

Above and Below: The Gold Drawing Room, showing plaster details on ceiling.

Below: The Kitchen.

Above: View north towards terrace with panoramic window.

Below: View from window towards  (left to right) Scullery, Dining Room Hallway, and Pantry.

Above and Below: The Dining Room. 

Moving upstairs now, here is a view across the landing towards the long gallery, with dome visible above foyer atrium.

Below: View from long gallery down into atrium and foyer.

Above: Long Gallery.

Below: View to lift and staircase.

Below: View down corridor towards Brideshead Suite, Studies and Private Quarters.

Below: David's Study.

Below: Master Suite.

Below: Master Ensuite

Below: The Chatsworth Suite.

Above and Below: The red Levanto Rosso marble of the Chatsworth ensuite.

Below: The Blenheim Suite.

Below: The gray Statuario marble of the Blenheim ensuite.

Below: The Brideshead Suite.

It's looking a little messy at present, as it is the main access to the upstairs balcony, which the builders are working on at present.

Below: The beige marble of the  Brideshead ensuite, enfolding the spa bath.

Moving outside, here is a view of the north facade of the manor from the sphinxes. It has been a very wet and cold winter, so the lawn is looking a little worse for wear, but we will soon whip it into shape before the opening. We need to wait until the terrace and blade walls have been plastered and had the travertine laid until we can put in the final gardens and complete the lawn, which will include travertine steps between the sphinxes and at either side.

Above: Zooming in on the top left hand corner one can see the square columns have been affixed on either side of the architraves of the French windows, to 'support' the frieze band and dentils.

Below: The columns as seen from the upstairs balcony.

So, as you can see, things are coming together and the manor is growing. So too has Alex, who came back to us after spending some time on my uncle's farm...

Beehives No. 3...

Further to our previous post: Bees, Boles and Bears, Beehives 1 and Beehives 2, this post is to share an exciting new form of beehive which is minimally invasive on bees at the time of harvest, and so much easier to harvest from. No more masks and spaceman suits. The modern apiarist is about to change...

First though, we had planned to make some ornamental beehives for the potager garden or orchard. The beehives we previously had on the farm have moved on, but we still want to have honey bees as they need protection, and we need them to pollinate all our fruits trees and provide our guests local honey.   We had decided to essentially build a more decorative version of the standard Langstroth hive that most people would be familiar with.

I came across these photos of some ornamental hives that have been built for the rooftop of Fortnum and Mason in the middle of Piccadilly which I liked and planned to model our new hives on....

I love the design of their hives, as well as that F&M colour. The shape reminds me of a diagram I found of an antique beehive...

The langstroth hive has been the standard type of hive for eaons. Although they are better for a colony than a woven skep, which can only be harvested with the compete destruction of the hive, their time has come to an end...

The flow frame is perfect for novice apiarists like ourselves because of the ease with which you can harvest the honey.

One just inserts a tube and cranks a lever and away it flows...

Here is a video clip explaining how this new system works. We will definitely be supporting Flow Hives.

We plan to have the best of both worlds - we will buy three complete flow hives and then add ornamental woodwork to the outside, such as creating a little front porch over the main door; and paint them a similar colour to the F&M hives (actually a duck egg blue to match the trellis obelisks in the potager).

We already have a friend who can get us a swarm of bees.

Now we just need to decide where at Willowbrook to make our bee garden. Perhaps Spencer's Corner, or Little Hollows?

Lazy Cycle Sunday...

Recently, whilst staying with my father in Denver, we got to try out a pair of pedego bikes he had bought. Pedego electric bicycles of Newport are one of the best ebikes on the market, being known for their reliability and durability as well as performance. If you have never tried an ebike before, they are battery assisted bicycles, which can be used in 3 ways - the usual calory intensive way; assisted mode, where one pedals at one's own pace and the motor picks up the slack; or motor only, where one can sit back and just enjoy the ride. They are capable of 8 hours of unassisted riding per charge, or longer if you are intermittently peddling, and travel up to 30 kph on motor alone (all controlled by the twist of the wrist, like a motorbike.

Of all the models, I quite fancy the City Commuter (above and below).

So Peter and I thought it would be a neat idea to buy a pair for guests to use at Willowbrook. There are plenty of country cycle paths through native bush and along rivers, including a short walk / cycle path to a lovely picnic glad just a few miles down the road. Guests could take a lovely packed picnic lunch with them and go on a morning cycle tour of the countryside with a romantic picnic for lunch, and not have to worry about finding the energy to get home again!

Above: The shorter cycle path to the picnic area (*WBP)

Below: A slightly longer country ride along scenic country lanes.

Guests could recapture the excitement of their first bike...

in style...

One could rock the casual, nonchalant look...

or perhaps go the extra mile and done the country tweeds (like participants in the tweed run)...

although there are limits...

To ensure that special Willowbrook boutique experience we will trick the bikes out with traditional wicker hampers on the rear (which will nicely hide the battery pack). Full of gourmet goodies - fresh bread, cheese, fruit, strawberries and cream, and perhaps even bubbles for two!

as well as the hamper on the back, we can fit wicker pannier baskets on the front, like this lovely bicycle from Velorbis of Copenhagen...

Beg's bicycles of Cambridgeshire also do a nice line of vintage bicycle accessories...

such as leather seats and saddle pouches...

and blanket straps (perfect for the picnic-er)...

as well as several classically styled bicycles...

So whether it is a solitary ride into the country to sketch some watercolours...

A trip for two...

or a group outing...

one can do it in style and comfort when staying at Willowbrook Park.

Little Orphan Alex...

Peter and I are currently enjoying life in the slow lane, having taken our annual hols. We are visiting family in Denver before flying on to London later this week to catch up with friends and urban family there.

Before Peter left there was one small tragedy on the farm - one of the highland cows died during child birth, leaving behind a little bull calf one cold and wet night. Peter named him Alexander, and thanks to the help of our friend Sue, he is doing really well. Peter collected some colostrum from my uncle and set up a feeding system with a tank and a teat. After some coaching Alex got the hang off feeding from it. 

The first night he was born was the most touch and go, but getting the colostrum into him and getting him in to a warm shelter saved the day...

 Then we transferred him down the road to our friend Sue, who has been caring for him...

Now he is doing well and integrating with our highland calves from last year, who also live down the road, coincidentally next door to Sue...

They have been making him feel welcome...

I'll leave you with these short clips of Alex. When we get back from our hols there will be plenty of news to share, and some more progress photos as the builders are steaming ahead with all the interior marble now.