Gardens and growers

Gardens offering interest, inspiration and excitement abound in Norfolk, as area which is, afterall, famed for the richness and diversity of its agriculture. There's also a significant number of nurseries and growers.

As one of the driest parts of the country (466-641mm or 18-25 inches), with mean temperatures of between 9.4 and 10.1 degrees Celsius (approx 50 degrees fahrenheit), second only to South West and South East England, and with between 1471 and 1885 hours of sunshine annually, behind only the south-coast counties and Suffolk, Norfolk is an especially green county. Not only in terms of agriculture and its claim to the largest lowland forest in Europe but also its rich and ecclectic mix of gardens and specialist plant growers.

Many gardeners will have heard the wonderful gardens at Bressingham, where the late Alan Bloom's classic designs featuring heathers and conifers are complemented by a fine steam museum, including waltzers and a miniature railway.

Not so many people will have heard of Will Giles' Exotic Garden, created since 1982 from wasteland hidden behind an office block not too far from the centre of Norwich. With a collection of tropical and semi-tropical plants growing in the open in a compact but incredibly well-stocked design (it's only an acre) the garden includes a large tropical waterfall, a tree house nestling in the limbs of an old oak and a tea shop serving wonderful cakes! The garden incorporates many permanent plants which the gardening books say could survive an English Winter but Will Giles, himself the author of some major plant encyclopaedia, has proved them wrong. Will Giles' garden is open on Sunday afternoons throughout the growing season.

Another hidden gem in Norwich, just behind the Roman Catholic Cathedral, is The Plantation Garden. A restored Victorian town garden, just 600 yards from the City centre, The Plantation Garden includes, a huge gothic fountain, flower beds, lawns, woodland walkways, rustic bridge Italianate terrace, "Medieval" terrace wall; and hundreds of architectural details fashionable in the mid 19th century. The garden, which is open daily, was established 140 years ago in a 3 acre abandoned chalk quarry.

Well worth a visit (it's not open every day), is the garden of the Bishop of Norwich, a four acre walled garden in the middle of Norwich. As well as viewings through the National Garden Scheme, the garden is open to the public for charity events from time to time during the growing season.

In fact, Norwich has many beautiful displays in its amenity areas which led to Norwich in Bloom putting the city into the 2007 final of Britain in Bloom.

In a much more rural setting, just inland from the coast at Happisburgh (pronounced haysbro, of course), and, like Will Giles' Exotic Garden, benefiting from some climatic ideosyncracies, is another relatively new (the garden was open fields less than 25 years ago!) garden. That at East Ruston Old Vicarage. Essentially the private garden of Alan Grey and Graham Robeson, it is not so much one garden as a series of gardens or "rooms", each with its own distinctive features. They are many and varied - such as the wild flower meadow and The Desert Wash, designed to resemble parts of Arizona. A wander through the 32 acres is an experience not to be missed if you're looking for inspiration or a relaxing stroll.

For a special treat in 2008 book book a place (limited to 25 people) on one of the guided tours of East Ruston Old Vicarages with Alan Gray. These are run on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, from May to September. The price includes coffee and lunch.

For a less formal display of flora there's Gooderstone Water Gardens, The Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden and How Hill Woodland and Hilltop Gardens.

Billy Knights, a retired farmer began designing and creating the Gooderstone Water Gardens near Swaffham in 1970, in his 70th year. The site was a damp meadow which became too wet for cattle to graze. Mr Knights' son jokingly suggested he should have a water garden and the ponds and waterways of the six acre garden were born and opened to the public.

Following a period of closure, the gardens were re-opened in June 2003 with a new car park, refurbished tea-room and gallery and an 8 acre nature trail. There has since been the addition of a bird hide and a new plant sales area.

To the East of Norwich, The Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden comprises 131 acres of beautiful ancient woodland, water gardens and the private South Walsham broad, much of it readily accessible to those with buggies or wheelchairs.

Left in trust by the 2nd Lord Fairhaven in 1973, the garden, which was opened to the public in 1975 and has been preserved and enhanced according to the benefactor's wishes, has so many facets that it is worthy of a visit at any time of the year (it's only closed on Christmas day). The fabulous collection of candelabra primulas, acclaimed as the best naturalised collection in the UK, is best seen in May. But the garden is also well known for magnificent autumn colours to be experienced on the woodland walks in late October and early November, whereas summer visitors can also enjoy a trip on the electric boat on South Walsham broad and the occasional open air afternoon concert.

Another private garden we've recently been introduced to and which is open to the public is that adjoining Wyken Vineyards, just across the border into Suffolk. Probably one to take in on a trip to Bury St Edmunds.

Open on around a dozen midweek afternoons a year, How Hill Woodland and Hilltop Gardens are a special treat, normally reserved for those attending courses at The Norfolk Broads Study Centre, which is based at the thatched house set in the grounds.

Of course many of the grander houses in Norfolk open their gardens to the public, including Sandringham House. In addition to the gardens in the National Trust properties of Oxburgh Hall, Blickling Hall and Felbrigg Hall, the privately owned Mannington Hall has its gardens open to the public on a regular basis, as does Somerleyton Hall, just into Suffolk.

However, to offer a glimpse at some more "private" gardens, over 30 homes open their gardens on a few weekends a year under the National Garden Scheme and even some enterprising villages, such as Ludham, Itteringham, Stanhoe or West Runton, have an "open garden" weekend when visitors can wander around domestic gardens in the village for a small contribution to a good local cause.

The novel Invitation to View also offers a unique chance to have an exclusive opportunity to see some very special private houses and their gardens, usually in the company of the owners themselves.

Then there are the nurseries of the specialist growers. Including Blooms of Bressingham, Norfolk can boast no less than five gold and silver-gilt medal winners at the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society, Chelsea Flower Show.

Only a couple of miles from White Lodge Farm Cottages, Thorncroft Clematis Nursery, won its first RHS Gold Medal in 2007, to add to its two previous silver-gilt medals. The garden beside the nursery, which is home to well over 300 clematis, demonstrates the many different ways clematis can be grown, proving that you do not need a wall or fence to grow these versatile 'climbers'. The garden is open, free of charge, when the nursery is open.

Also close to White Lodge Farm Cottages is Peter Beales Roses, which picked up its 15th RHS Gold Medal at the 2007 Chelsea Flower Show.

The Romantic Garden Nursery, just north of Norwich, at Swannington, is a specialist nursery, holding one of the finest selections of topiary, ornamental standards and specimen trees and shrubs, now has seven RHS Gold Medals to its credit.

Thorncroft Clematis Nursery is a part of the Norfolk Nursery Network, whose other members close to White Lodge Farm Cottages include Norfolk Herbs and Walnut Tree Garden Nursery.

Contact details

• Bressingham Gardens 01379 688585
• East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden
• Will Giles' Exotic Garden
• Norfolk Herbs 01362 860812
• Thorncroft Clematis Nursery 01953 850407
• Mannington Gardens and Country Park 01263 584175
• Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens 01328 851465
• Foxley Wood
• Plantation Gardens 01603 811424
• Norfolk Lavender 0870 243 0147
• Peter Beales Roses 01953 454707
• Oxburgh Hall 01366 328258
• Sandringham House 01553 772675
• Blickling Hall 01263 738030
• Somerleyton Hall 01502 730224
• Felbrigg Hall 01263 837444
• Priory Maze and Gardens, Beeston Regis, Sheringham 01263 822986
• Wyken Vineyards

Guests say ...

"Blickling Hall is well worth a visit - lovely gardens."     The B's

"Felbrigg Hall garden and park is the most beautiful place. There's a lovely courtyard where you can have coffee and sandwiches. Nice walks."     G&B B

"Our two year old had a wonderful time at Bressingham. Took a steam train ride and she loved the carousel. Amazing gardens - take a picnic"
    - The B Family

"Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden: Lovely here and wonderful walks. You can also do boat trips. If you sit where the boat comes in you can take advantage of watching swans and ducks. A really lovely spot."
    -The Bs