Norfolk Holidays are a Gardener's Dream
For the passionate professional gardener nothing beats strolling through the grounds to see the beauty of one's handiwork come alive. For the amateur hobbyist, the work of a professional is a treat to the senses; a bouquet of heavenly fragrances and colours. Norfolk holidays offer both the professional and amateur gardener splendid opportunities to tour England's best gardens in all their seasonal glory.
At the top of the must-see list is HM The Queen’s country residence at Sandringham House. This gorgeous property includes more than 60 acres of gardens, open lawns, woods, and serene lakes. Sandringham House is perhaps England's most famous destination for summer garden tours, and one of the most spectacular. If you can only see one, Sandringham is it.
At Pensthorpe, near Fakenham, are two lovely gardens designed by winners of the Chelsea Flower Show. The Millennium garden was first planted in 1999 then extensively redone in late 2009. After 10 years of maturity, the Millennium is a spectacular visit through a world of 100 different perennials and 20 different grasses. Though summer is the peak time for this garden, autumn and spring also have some beautiful offerings for weekend Norfolk holidays.
The Wave Garden is Pensthorpe's winter/spring garden which incorporates the area's many native trees like Birches and Oaks. A bog which borders part of the garden has been the subject of much regeneration work, making it a wonderful addition for visitors to see. But the most appealing part of the Wave Garden is the grace of its simplicity. Plants and greenery have been chosen to give the garden what is affectionately dubbed a “riot of subtle colour in the spring.”
BBC's gardening expert, Will Giles, is just one of a plethora of Norfolk residents who open their private gardens for summer viewing. Mr. Giles' Exotic Garden, located in Norwich, was an unkempt patch of wild flowers when he purchased the property in 1982. Since then it has been transformed into a show piece of exotic trees, ferns, and bromeliads that have no business being on the east of England. But Mr. Giles makes them work, and splendidly so.
Finally, even with all the better-known gardens of the region, your Norfolk holidays won't be complete if you miss the natural beauty and small town private gardens Norfolk has to offer. The countryside is awash with natural fields of perennials and grasses, cottage gardens with native fruits and vegetables, and teeming wildlife to complete the experience.
Norfolk's ideal weather makes it one of the best places for gardening in the U.K. Whether gardening is your life's passion or just a hobby, touring the area's gardens might just be the best way for you to spend your Norfolk holidays.