I recently caught a new entry in the Destination Guide for Frogmore, the region and setting held by Dandelion Rabbit (or as she used to be known, Tolla Crisp) – something bound to get me reaching for my camera and notebook before doing the magical teleport hop.
Over the years, Dandelion has been responsible for a number of public regions in Second Life, some she has created herself, and others – as with the various Frogmore iterations – in collaboration with Dandy Warhlol Terry Fothrington), with most of them created under her Frogmore estate banner, and a fair few, past and present, covered within these pages.
A Full region leveraging the available Land Capacity Bonus, Frogmore has – at least during the time I had been covering it through to 2022 (it’s been a whole four years since I last dropped in!) – tended to take inspiration from the coastal regions of England’s county of Cornwall. However, for the summer 2026 version the inspiration shifts more toward France in terms of some of the architecture present, and takes the name Monet’s Pond in reflection of the use of colour throughout.
Which is not to say any of the dramatic beauty of the region has been lost, far from it; the rugged looks and the mix of both elevation and water continue to result in a place of visual and natural splendour.
Step into a dreamy summer at Frogmore’s newest chapter — Monet’s Pond. All the waters of the region have been freshly painted in the soft, shimmering hues of a Claude Monet masterpiece — hushed lilacs, misty greens, silvered blues, and warm golden reflections that dance gently in the sunlight.
– Frogmore’s Destination Guide entry
This is a place which genuinely feel much larger than a 256×256 sized region; just when you think you’ve managed to see all of it, the chances are you’ll find another corner awaiting exploration.
It is also a place where a degree of mystery and magic await discovery, and a sense of fantasy enters without ever feeling out of place. Indeed, the entire setting carries with it a feeling it is one step removed from the world in which we otherwise live, where the everyday happily resides with the not-so-ordinary.
Part of the reason the setting feels so big is that use of elevation mentioned above. Parts of the setting are set with high cliffs and escarpments rising to flat tops. These form an arc around the edge of one corner of the setting whilst points fingers inland the naturally intrude into the lowlands and serve to bot reveal and hide. The highest elevation of these uplands is taken up by the bulk of an almost-Norman-style castle and the houses of a somewhat medieval-looking town for which the castle may have once served as guardian.
Sitting between the two is a dramatic gorge, spanned by a bridge forming an excellent choke-point for any armies which may once have attempted to attack the castle in times past. The long finger of rock on which the village is set points its way north is one of the escarpment naturally splitting the land, descending through gentle tiers down to the lowlands and waters below.
Another promontory also extends northwards from the castle’s feet, pushing inland with steep slopes and walls of rock. Sheltered between the tall rms of rock and overlooked by the village, sits an inlet cutting deep into the landscape by way of the gorge spanned by the castle’s bridge.
With outlets passing under further bridges, the inlet gives way to wetlands and lowlands this inlet while the foreshores are beautifully set out (including possibly the best integrations of Marcthur Goosson’s Ma Maison farmhouse into a landscape I’ve seen). All of this, with its richness of colour, wildlife and coves and islands, remains largely hidden from the lands to the west.
The lowlands across the region offer a mix of architectural styles, with cottages and small hold farms rubbing shoulders with larger townhouse-style homes. A second, very different castle raises its bulk to the north whilst free-flowing waters and wetlands quite naturally break the land up, further helping to give the setting a sense of size and space, whilst bridges help to keep feet dry as one explores.
The bridges, paths and trails running through the landscape provide the means to explore it fully and in detail and discover all that lies within. Whilst some of the buildings to the west are understandably unfurnished, this is more than made up for the manner in which has been set out as a mix of farmlands and wetlands rich in flora and wildfowl.
In terms of the mystery and hints of magic can be found along the paths and steps of the village. It is here as well, that colour again brings depth and atmosphere to a wander between the shops, cottages and houses – all of which are decorated and furnished, adding to the delight of visiting this portion of the region.
One of the things essential for a visit is to use the region’s Shared Environment. This will really bring out the beauty of Monet’s Pond, including the reflections of colour across the waters when seen from the right angles which work with the hues of the trees and flowers and hanging lights to give the setting a feeling of being something Monet, had he been so minded, might have painted.
To be perfectly honest, to describe Monet’s Pond is an exercise in futility; it simply has to be seen for itself. There is so much to be discovered, and so much attention to detail, the use of a colour palette with flowers, water reflections, blossoming tree and amongst the houses and shops of the village befitting of a Monet painting, words simply made the place feel dry.
What I will say is, I’ve followed Dandy’s work in landscaping down the years – ever since he worked with Belle des Champs (Bridget Genna) to produce the BarDeco series of locations (2016 through 2021) – and watching his landscaping skill mature and refine to produce truly memorable locations for land-holder and visitors alike has been a genuine pleasure. With the latest iteration of Frogmore he has achieve something truly special.
SLurl Details
- Monet’s Pond (Frogmore, rated General)
