Trentham Gardens - sights, scenery and decapitation

One of the best things about the weekend is finding yourself with enough time left to squeeze in an impromptu trip with the camera and the better half! The trick is to find somewhere within easy reach, and sometimes the best locations are almost right on your doorstep...

I've lived in Stoke On Trent since 1992, when I came here as a student. I've been to Trentham Gardens many times over the years, but only as an attendee at Graduation ceremonies. Sure, I've been to the shopping village next to the Gardens many times too (that's what middle age does to you) but I've never been into the Gardens as a photographer before. So when Yol and I were looking for somewhere to take a walk and get some shots in, we figured we'd give the place a go.



In short, the place is a heaven for photographers! Whether you like shooting buildings, scenery, creatures, plants and flowers, statues, water, birds, or even people, there's plenty there to keep your lenses bobbing up and down. I like to try my hand at a range of styles and techniques, and Trentham Gardens gave me a chance to try several in what was ultimately a very enjoyable afternoon.






The nature trail that goes around Trentham Lake is a two mile lap, with several stop-offs for photo opportunities along the way, including Twitching Houses (for bird watching, not uncontrollable jerking movements), and the passenger catamaran gives snappers a chance to see the sights from on the water, including a close pass of the island with its nesting herons (and some of the smaller residents!)




One of the central features of the Gardens is a full-sized replica of Benvenuto Cellini's "Perseus with the head of Medusa", a statue dating back to the 1550s, which is currently housed in the Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence, Italy. It's something that should be out of place in a setting such as Trentham Gardens, but strangely it looks perfectly at home next to the Lake, a beautiful image of violence and gore set beside the relative tranquility of the grounds. Complete with severed head and neck-protruding gristle, the statue depicts a moment from Greek Mythology when Medusa the Gorgon is defeated and decapitated by Perseus, but not ending her power to turn men to stone with her stare.




Grim, but beautiful!

The album of photos from the trip can be seen on Flickr here.