From Nicolson’s superb book on Sissinghurst and his family’s relationship with it, including its transition to more public ownership.  He raises a wider concern, how to preserve beautiful places and buildings without losing their lived-in soul. 

While we figure that out, we can still enjoy their heart-drenching beauty. 

For all the heart-drenching beauty of Sissinghurst, it felt a little cold. At times it felt like living in a theatre. 

Source: Adam Nicolson, Sissinghurst: An unfinished history (London: Harper Press, 2009), p. 67