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Kiftsgate Court Gardens

Just right down the road from Hidcote is Kiftsgate Court Gardens. This garden was created by Heather Muir beginning in the 1920s. Muir's daughter, Diany Binny, came to live at Kiftsgate in 1954. She would add the half-moon pool and redesigned the white garden. She also first opened the garden to the public. Today, the tradition continues as granddaughter Anne Chambers and her husband maintain the gardens.    Heather Muir was a friend and neighbor of Hidcote's Lawrence Johnston (their houses are within one mile of each other), and he inspired her in the garden's design. However, the two gardens differ in character and have their own unique characteristics. While Johnston's garden is laid out in strict geometric lines, Muir took a more naturalistic approach. Muir added many heirloom shrub roses to the garden and is famous for the 'Kiftsgate' rose, which occurred from a seedling in the garden. Unfortunately, we were too early for the roses. There were a few like t...

Chocolate Mousse Cake with Raspberries

 
Here's another winning recipe from the King Arthur Flour folks! Chocolate fans rejoice! 

The recipe showed up on my Instagram feed a few weeks ago and after looking at the photos and reading the reviews, my curiosity was peaked. I printed out the recipe and put it aside. I just made it today and it is an amazing cake.

Making this all at once would be quite time-consuming. I made the cake yesterday and the filling today. I skipped the frosting entirely after reading the reviews. The cake is delicious without the frosting although I'm sure that would elevate it to a new level.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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