title Open Gardens, Eye, Suffolk - 9th June 2024 intro It's time for the annual Open Gardens in Eye, and as we haven't been for ages we decide to give it a look. This year, there's a cool 1949 Bristol coach - restored and rebuilt by the owner/driver - which is doing the rounds of some of the more far-flung gardens, which includes Abbey Hall, where we decide to start from. It's always surprising how impressive some of the gardens are, especially the ones that look quite modest from the street. There was one house with a garden that seemed to stretch for about half a mile behind it, whilst another highlight was Chandos Lodge - once the home of internationally-famous dancer and choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton. imgp3277 There's a vintage coach by the bus stop imgp3280 Isobel runs to catch the bus imgp3281 We're on a 1949 Bristol coach imgp3287 We start at Abbey Hall imgp3289 The owner's wife's "Habitat" collection imgp3290 The view of the church from Abbey Hall imgp3291 A stripey and spotty caterpillar imgp3292 The owners takes us on a tour of the grounds imgp3293 An impressive allium of some sort imgp3294 There are a lot of nice roses along the wall imgp3295 Doors made especially for the hinges imgp3296 Abbey Hall from across the pond imgp3300 The vintage coach creeps up the drive imgp3306 The stop/start house rebuild is on again imgp3307 It's a summer of dog daisies imgp3310 We check out a garden on Lowgate Street imgp3311 More daisies imgp3313 There are a lot of random windows in this house imgp3314 There's a bric-a-brac sale in Eye Town Hall imgp3315 We have a cream tea, but without the cream imgp3316 We're checking out another garden imgp3317 The coach is waiting on Lambseth Street imgp3318 There's an amazing garden near the allotments imgp3322 A giant house, that looks modest from the street imgp3324 The Eye allotments imgp3326 Being inventive with a half-bath wheelbarrow imgp3328 A lone chicken roams around imgp3330 Chandos Place - Frederick Ashton's old pad imgp3331 Ballet dancers in stained glass imgp3333 A statue of a dancer by the pond imgp3335 Frederick Ashton's own topiary imgp3336 There's another statue of a dancer imgp3338 Pink foxgloves against a powder-blue wall imgp3339 A felting room imgp3342 Isobel explores another garden imgp3345 Eye church has a major scaffolding job on imgp3346 More scaffolding behind the fancy rood screen imgp3348 Scaffolding and stained glass imgp3351 The school and guildhall imgp3352 Bright orange quatrofoils imgp3353 There's a "yard sale" outside Studio 37 imgp3354 Isobel wanders up a secret alley imgp3356 Flowering succulents imgp3358 Isobel spots an amazing peony