NORFOLK HOLIDAY 2024
At 8.30am on 27 June a large coach load of Burnholme Gardening Club members set off for a 4 day holiday staying at the Maids Head Hotel situated in the centre of Norwich. It was originally a boarding house belonging to Bishops in the days of William the Conqueror and is an amazing building providing unique accommodation.
During the journey down we had one stop which was at the Home Farm Garden, Ryhall, Stamford, where we had a sandwich lunch on the east facing terrace which overlooks the garden, before walking through the beautiful garden. There are more than 100 roses, lavender avenues and herbaceous borders with delphiniums in the formal part of this nine acre garden. A wildflower meadow was started two years ago and with a woodland walk encourages wildlife. We left there at 2pm and arrived at the Hotel at 4.00pm which afforded time to check in and gets settled before dinner at 19.00.
After a good night's sleep and a substantial breakfast we boarded the coach for our first visit of the day to Elsing Hall, which is a English Heritage Grade 1 listed moated manor house which was passed down through the family and close friends until it was sold for the first time on the open market in 1958. The house is currently owned by Patrick Lines who plans to continue the constantly evolving work on the garden. The house is set in a small park which has been planted with specimen conifer, sweet chestnut and birch trees. The beautiful garden, which has been established for 30 years, includes beautiful scented old English roses on the walls of the house, a unique ginkgo avenue, the pinetum the formal Osprey Garden and most beautiful of all the extensive planting round the moat. the view from across the moat to the terrace at the back of the house is the most beautiful garden I have ever seen.
We reluctantly left this beautiful setting to continue our day's journey by first visiting the Back to the Garden Farm Shop where, after a soup and sandwich lunch, time was spent in their plant nursery and garden.
Following lunch we made our way to Fellbrigg Hall, which is owned by the National Trust. As well as being able to look round this elegant country house with stained glass windows in the Great Hall, and beautifully furnished bedrooms and fascinating kitchen we enjoyed walking round the beautiful walled garden.
The Wednesday morning started, once again in sunshine, with a 15 minute walk to the Bishop of Norwich's Garden. This garden is run organically with many interesting features including a herb garden, long herbaceous borders, jungle walk, wild flower meadow and an extensive shrubbery containing many rare and interesting plants. As you walked round the garden there were many views of the Bishop's house and the Cathedral.
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After a finding our own lunch on the walk back to the hotel, we boarded the coach once again to travel to East Ruston Old Vicarage.
The afternoon was spent at East Ruston Old Vicarage which has a very challenging 32 acre garden with many garden rooms including the Dutch Garden, Kings Walk, Orangery Border and Green Court, Sunk Garden, Exotic Garden, Woodland Garden, Desert Wash, Mediterranean Garden, to name but a few. After seeing as much of this immense garden as could be managed in the time (including getting lost in the huge arboretum), a stop in the tea garden set in wildlife meadow was called for to partake of a ginger and rhubarb ice-cream before returning, weary but very happy after a great day in the sunshine, to the hotel for a welcome rest and shower before dinner.
Early start on Thursday morning to pack luggage into the coach, have breakfast and leave time to make two visits on the way home. The first was to West Acre Garden near the village of West Acre, King's Lynn, which is a beautiful display garden and plant nursery set in an unusual D shape walled garden of an old Norfolk manor house. They specialise in interesting and unusual plants. Needless to say many additions were made to the large collection of plants in the coach's luggage store.
After prising everyone from this tempting display our final visit of the holiday was made to Tudor Lodging Garden where we were served with a tasty sandwich and cake lunch. There is a two acre garden which fronts a C15 flint house and incorporates part of the Norman earthworks. There is a variety of planting on mixed borders, a topiary, vegetable garden, and C18 dovecote. There is a natural wild area with a shepherd's hut and duck pond with ducks and poultry and bee hives. There is also the surprising meeting with a Rhea in a field with hens.
Before leaving the opportunity was taken to gather everyone together to give a vote of thanks to Jean Taylor for once again organising a really wonderful holiday visiting some remarkable gardens.
Jean Wall
