I’m visiting my dear friend Stella in Dunedin, and she wanted to see photos from my Europe trip.  Specifically, “ones where you dressed up”.

So I pulled up the photos from a gorgeous 18th century castle I visited in the Czech Republic, and I realised that not only had I never blogged about this visit, I hadn’t even finished editing and sorting the photos from the day!  I’d quickly picked a few for my post on the Tiney Piney 1790s dress, but the majority were still languishing in their folder.

That needed rectifying immediately.  First, the day was utterly perfect and gorgeous, second, the photos of it are the same, and third, Dobříš Castle is stunning.

The visit to Dobříš Castle was thanks to the wonderful Hana Marmota and Klára of @klara_posekana.  They conspired for the three of us to get together while I was visiting Hana.  Hana booked a cute pension in Dobříš village. Klára researched and suggested activities.  She sent me a number of options, one of which was the gardens of Dobříš Castle.

I heard ‘orangery topped with pineapple-esque urns’ and I was sold.  What better match to my pineapple dress than a pineapple orangery!

(Isn’t there something delightfully amusing about saying ‘pineapple orangery’?  Although the urns aren’t specifically meant to be pineapples, they just really look like it.  And there was no suggestion the orangery was ever used to grow pineapples).

So a visit to Dobříš Castle in costume was planned. Klára was coming by car, so she offered a picnic.  Hana and I travelled by train and bus thanks to the Czech Republics amazing public transport (I am SO envious of their system!), checked into the pension, and then debated if we could make ourselves dress up.

We decided we had to, because Klára was already dressed and on her way. I’m so glad we did.  It would have been such a pity to have missed the opportunity for photos in such a glorious spot!

Klára wore 18th century pastoral romantic attire, I wore 1790s, and Hana wore her Czech folk costume (which is 1900s in style).

And we all looked utterly fabulous!

We entered the Castle through the front courtyard, bought our French garden tickets, and left the picnic basket at the front desk.

Round the side of the Castle, through gates, down a promenade, and to the orangery!

The orangery is a highlight.  It features an elaborate tromp l’oile mural of a plaza and city.  It’s the largest façade painting in Europe.  Inside the orangery there is a museum, with exhibitions about the restoration of the orangery and mural, among other things.

Between the Orangery and the Castle itself stretches a formal French garden, with an elaborate tiered fountain, flowers, and topiary.

The fountain has a story.  Stand with your back to it, throw a coin over your shoulder, and if it lands in the top tier you’ll meet your perfect partner.

I didn’t toss a coin, but Klára’s husband did many years ago, and managed the top tier.  I got to meet her lovely husband and see the two of them together and based on that I think the story might be true!

I’m not generally a huge fan of French gardens.  I prefer the less formal English style.  However, the ones at Dobříš are quite lovely.  They were also the perfect size: big enough to be imposing, but not so big that you felt like you were trekking along endless gravel paths.

They also had a cunning hedge maze along one side, which would provide beautiful shelter and shade on a hot day.  (and perhaps a little shelter for a discreet moment alone with one’s inamorata…)

When we were tired of admiring the gardens and the castle facade and the orangery, we returned to the front gate to collect our basket.  We headed out into the English garden, and found a lovely spot to spread our feast.

Klára has been collecting pieces for historical picnicking for years, and it shows.  Everything was utterly delightful and equally delicious.

(there were, as you can see, a couple concessions to modern convenience.  Sometimes you make life easier for an informal picnic!)

We finished picnicking and headed home just as the skies broke.  They had been threatening in the most picturesque and dramatic way all afternoon, and finally delivered on their threat.

What’s a little rain on a warm summers day after a perfect afternoon?  Nothing to dampen our spirits!

Thank you Hana and Klára for being such amazing hosts!