ウェストンオンザグリーンの天然記念物・トップ4

In 2012, Lisa Kuppler (Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung) paid tribute to the writer J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892 to 1973), who invented a fictional world called Middle Earth inhabited by 'hobbits', with the words: "It is this complex creation of an entire world that makes 'The Lord of the Rings' the original text of the fantasy genre." Two decades earlier - on the occasion of his 100th birthday - a bench and two trees were dedicated to him here, in Oxford's university park. Tolkien's most popular work to date includes the volumes: "The Fellowship of the Ring" (Volume 1); "The Two Towers" (Volume 2); "The Return of the King" (Volume 3). Many people may not have read his books, but they know the film version of this great myth.

The wood contains about forty species of butterflies making it one of the most important habitats in Britain.

It is a fantastic hide with views over the fields & ponds. DOGs are NOT allowed. This also means that you cannot use the direct footpath towards Beckley if you have a DOG. Instead you have to take the path via the RSPB car park, which adds 2k to the walk if you go back to the footpath, rather than follow the road up to the Abingdon Arms at Beckley

The Wetlands Watch lookout and viewing screens are especially great to visit in the autumn and winter months when large numbers of wildfowl and waders are spotted on the floodplains.

In 1992, to commemorate the centenary of Tolkien’s birth, the Tolkien Society and the Mythopoeic Society organised held a special collection for the installation of a memorial bench and planting of two trees in University Parks. The trees represent Laurelin (a false acacia) and Telperion (a silver maple) from The Silmarillion.

Bernwood Forest is a magnificent woodland and a great place to enjoy butterflies in the warmer months — it even has dedicated trails for this very reason. Made up of Shabbington Wood and Waterperry Wood, it was once part of the Royal Hunting Forest of Bernwood, which has granted the trees here protection for over 700 years.

This history of the Rose Garden at Blenheim Palace is rather fascinating. The original Rosary, created by the 5th Duke of Marlborough, a horticulturalist of international standing, was located near to the The Cascades. However, it was the 7th Duke of Marlborough, whose passion for gardening and plant hunting, who commissioned the current rosarium. Rose Gardens became very popular in Victorian England, highly admired for their English beauty and scent. The 7th Duke of Marlborough possibly renovated the Rose Garden because he was typical Victorian! The creation of the garden in 1760 was in two stages replacing the 5th Duke’s Chinese Garden; beginning with the outer circle of roses trailing around arches of ironwork forming a circle with a lawn inside. Latterly the beds were added with the roses inside, the water and statue. Today visitors can enjoy this ancient Rose Garden most recently restored by the 11th Duke of Marlborough.