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Lalwendë · 09-18-2006, 05:51 AM

Oxford Botanical Gardens. Very nice indeed, not just for a gardening freak like me, either. They're very different to the Sheffield ones - which are about four times as big and lanscaped with extensive woodlands and a bear pit - and have lots of 'educational' plant displays such as rows of big savoy cabbages and a display of sunflower varieties, some of which were enormous. Then of course there is 'Tolkien's Tree'. Now it might not seem like much to look at, going somewhere just to look at one tree, but its worth it. The tree is huge, very unusual, and seriously impressive. It puts Tolkien's feelings about trees into perspective - he loved them just as Trees, immense, towering organic presences.

But in the Botanical Gardens you now get the added bonus of finding Lyra's 'bench' from the end of The Amber Spyglass. Pullman describes it exactly and its easy to find, and a nice place to sit for a quiet hour smoking and chatting.

Take the chance now, as I'm sure once the films have been out you'd have to fight to get a chance to sit there. Oh, and you can also laugh at people struggling to punt on the river behind you.

I'm also sending hunting for conkers to The Shire. We walked round Deadman's Walk at the back of Merton College (very nice path overlooking the rugby fields) and decided to get conkers off a Chestnut tree that was said to have been a favourite with Tolkien. Projecting umbrellas are pretty good for this, and provide more accuracy than a mere stick thrown up into the branches.

Just make sure to run away fast when you realise that there are CCTV systems watching you...

I'll also assign sneaking into the private Fellow's Garden at Exeter when someone had left the gate leading into Brasenose Lane open by mistake.

09-18-2006, 05:51 AM	#792
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	Oxford Botanical Gardens. Very nice indeed, not just for a gardening freak like me, either. They're very different to the Sheffield ones - which are about four times as big and lanscaped with extensive woodlands and a bear pit - and have lots of 'educational' plant displays such as rows of big savoy cabbages and a display of sunflower varieties, some of which were enormous. Then of course there is 'Tolkien's Tree'. Now it might not seem like much to look at, going somewhere just to look at one tree, but its worth it. The tree is huge, very unusual, and seriously impressive. It puts Tolkien's feelings about trees into perspective - he loved them just as Trees, immense, towering organic presences. But in the Botanical Gardens you now get the added bonus of finding Lyra's 'bench' from the end of The Amber Spyglass. Pullman describes it exactly and its easy to find, and a nice place to sit for a quiet hour smoking and chatting. Take the chance now, as I'm sure once the films have been out you'd have to fight to get a chance to sit there. Oh, and you can also laugh at people struggling to punt on the river behind you. I'm also sending hunting for conkers to The Shire. We walked round Deadman's Walk at the back of Merton College (very nice path overlooking the rugby fields) and decided to get conkers off a Chestnut tree that was said to have been a favourite with Tolkien. Projecting umbrellas are pretty good for this, and provide more accuracy than a mere stick thrown up into the branches. Just make sure to run away fast when you realise that there are CCTV systems watching you... I'll also assign sneaking into the private Fellow's Garden at Exeter when someone had left the gate leading into Brasenose Lane open by mistake. __________________ Gordon's alive!