Spring in Full Swing at Norfolk Gardens 2012

The garden visiting season starts in earnest in May with a wide selection of gardens opening for the National Gardens Scheme. Azaleas and rhododendrons are at their best this month and there some great displays in Norfolk gardens. There is also a chance to see some proper English bluebells, to enjoy parkland walks, and even a wild flower meadow.

Sunday 4th May 2012
HOVETON HALL GARDENS nr Wroxham NR12 8RJ
Plenty of woodland walks in 15 acres featuring waves of azaleas and rhododendrons.

Sunday 6th May and Monday 7th May
PLOVERS HILL Strumpshaw NR13 4NL.
Has wide ranging planting against a backdrop of formal lawn and hedges with some fine garden sculptures and water features. There is an award winning orangery where teas are served.

Monday 7th May
HILL COTTAGE , Edingthorpe NR28 9SY.
Pretty cottage garden, organically cultivated, never watered and densely planted with both traditional and unusual varieties of drought resistant plants.The place to go if you want advice on how to create a garden to cope with the prolonged drought conditions in Norfolk.

Monday 7th May
WITTON HALL nr North Walsham NR28 9UF
A natural woodland garden. Walk past the handkerchief tree and wander through
carpets of English bluebells, azaleas and rhodendrons.

Sunday 13th May
BILLINGFORD HALL, Diss IP21 4HN
Pretty traditional English garden with herbaceous and shrub borders and stunning views over Waveney Valley. Also, a formal walled garden and an unusual feature is the thatched roof dovecote in the adjacent park.

Sunday 13th May and Monday 14th May
THE MOWLE, Ludham NR29 5NP
Has a Japanese garden and enlarged wildlife pond with bog garden. A special border has been developed for the National Collection of Gunnera. Try the boardwalk in the wild area.

Monday 14th May
SLY’S FARM North Creake, NR21 9JQ.
A walled 1-acre garden, with hidden rooms and pathways revealing wide variety of texture, colour and diversity of plants. The front garden has been developed with planting along the stream and the addition of a small pond.

Saturday 19th May and Sunday 20th May
WIVETON HALL Wiveton, NR25 7TE.
The garden is one of the original participants in the NGS in 1927 and the owner has kindly agreed to reopen to help celebrate 85 years of the National Gardens Scheme.
Wander through the wild garden on mown paths to view the pond and bamboo grove. There is a Productive walled kitchen garden with roses, peonies, vegetable, herbs and fruit for use in Wiveton Hall Café. The owner’s 94 years old mother still works in the garden. A great advert for the health benefits of gardening!!

Sunday 20th May
HOW HILL FARM Ludham NR29 5PG.
A 12 acre Broadland garden. with views of Turf Fen Mill, R Ant and Reedham Marshes. Paths through rare conifers, rhododendrons, azaleas, ornamental trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. There is an extensive collection of holly species. Plenty of places to sit and admire some wonderful broadland vistas on very old stone carvings used for seats.

Sunday 20th May and Monday 21st May
LEXHAM HALL nr Litcham PE32 2QJ.
Enjoy parkland with lake and river walks. The formal gardens have lots of interest with terraces, yew hedges, roses and mixed borders. There is a large traditional kitchen garden with crinkle crankle wall.and in May the 3-acre woodland garden is a blaze of colour with azaleas, rhododendrons

Sunday 20th May and Monday 21st May
4 MILL ROAD Marlingford NR9 5HL.
Take home ideas from this small garden packed with unusual features. Designed as a collection of garden rooms divided by hedges, paths, arches and pleached limes. Colour-themed borders, Japanese garden, pond, vegetables and fruit. There is a children’s trail and plant hunts with prizes!

Sunday 27th May and Monday 28th May
THE GARDEN IN AN ORCHARD, Bergh Apton NR15 1BQ
3½-acre garden created by the owners set in old orchard. Many rare plants set out in an informal pattern of wandering paths. ½ acre of wild flower meadows, many bamboos and species roses. A plantsman’s garden..

Sunday 27th May
HOLME HALE HALL Holme Hale IP25 7ED
Has a contemporary walled kitchen garden. The garden incorporates large herbaceous borders, trained fruit, vegetables and a traditional greenhouse.

Sunday 27th May
NEW GARDEN 3 NORWICH TOWN GARDENS
35, 37, 39, CLARENDON ROAD Norwich NR2 2PN
Three small enclosed neighbouring gardens with contrasting styles of planting and design: all contain mature trees, shrubs, climbers and water but to very different effects. No.35 is divided into three discrete rooms on differing levels against a backcloth of abundant climbers: terrace with pots and urns; sundial garden with exuberant perennial planting;
No.37 a city garden providing an oasis for wildlife- pond with frogs and newts. Abundant topiary, high boundaries of fruit trees and species roses. Tree peonies and fernery.
No.39 this is an urban garden with a country cottage feel – a small space used to its maximum potential, incl a vegetable patch, mature fruit trees, small water features and very informal planting. You will find bean poles and tomato plants among the roses and giant hollyhocks.

Sunday 27th May
THE OLD RECTORY, RIDLINGTON Ridlington, NR28 9NZ.
A tranquil 2 acre garden containing mixed borders of shrubs, perennials, roses and bulbs, raised vegetable beds. A peaceful spot for a cup of tea and to enjoy the Stalham brass band.

Sunday 27th May
WEST VIEW East Ruston, NR12 9JN.
A plantsmans garden including borders with trees and shrubs underplanted with carpets of hellebores and bulbs, pergolas with roses and clematis, greenhouse with many interesting plants, vegetable parterre, orchard and pond. .

Sunday 27th May
SHERINGHAM PARK Upper Sheringham NR26 8TL.
The place to see swathes of glorious rhododendron, azalea and magnolia in full bloom. There are numerous specimen trees including a handkerchief tree which complete a colourful picture. Viewing towers, waymarked walks, sea and parkland views. Special walkway and WCs for disabled.

Thursday 31st May
CHAUCER BARN, Gresham NR11 8RL.
A 5-acre garden created from the ruins of a farmyard. The Knot/herb garden leads to lawns flanked by walled herbaceous borders and pergola leading through contemporary topiary garden to stunning views over rolling hills to woodland. Woodland path leads downhill to wild flower meadow and young arboretum.

The full details of all the gardens can be found in the Norfolk Gardens 2012 booklet which is available in Libraries, TICs, garden centres and nurseries. Information is also available on www.ngs.org.uk

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