I enjoyed an unexpected treat at Dragon House, Corinna and Yves’ guesthouse in Gloucestershire, West England.

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I was in the UK last week. I had booked for a night at Dragon House in Dursley on 25th March, so that I could go to appointments in the area the following morning. I was quite pleased to visit a friend and a professional contact in the Western part of the Costwolds, which I looked forward to discovering, as a lover of nature and old farms. I thought Corinna and Yves’ rooms for rent were close enough to Wortley, home to a famous British designer I had interviewed over the phone and whom I was really keen to meet in person in his studio in the middle of rural England. Online feedback left by customers and my first contact with my hosts were promising. I felt I was in for a very fruitful twenty-four hours.

What I didn’t expect was to stay at a house with a garden full of well-groomed fruit trees and bushes.

I noticed the presence of fruit trees at Dragon House when I arrived from London on 25th March evening. Photo 26th March morning, Gloucestershire, UK.

Just before going down for breakfast. It was already nice to be in a spacious house with a well-maintained garden.

I was also served breakfast with home-made redcurrant jam, which happened to be made with fruit from the garden. With two fresh crispy and tasty croissants, a cup of black coffee and some marmalade, also home-made… It was a great start of the day for me!

Yves told me about their fruit: the apricots, which were doing very well he said, the pears, the red and black currants… I felt like taking a few photos before leaving.

Apricot? Cherry? What is sure is that all the trees, well-trimmed, are ready for spring.

Young redcurrant and blackcurrant bushes in this part of the garden.

Young leaves (click on picture to enlarge): red or black currants? It will be clearer in June/July.

Espaliered: well-trained, isn’t it?

Click on picture to see details of the trimming.

I felt so good in this house! I think it makes a huge difference when there is a garden planted with fruit trees that are well-maintained. Imagine it in a few weeks time when the trees blossom, bees come to pollinate, and then when the apricots, pears etc. start to grow and finally ripen… Having been there in the winter and knowing that customers will enjoy it in the summer already provides me with a great feeling.

But more importantly I think it tells about your hosts. To me it means that they have a sense of what grows, what lasts, what flourishes, and they know how to make it happen in their place. Along with Corinna and Yves’ friendly welcome, it makes of Dragon House a place of great hospitality.