News Article
NGS Secret Gardens!
Follow the Norfolk National Gardens Scheme trail this April. Many of the gardens hold the mystery as in the book “The Secret Garden” and admission for children is often free. Parents and children are invited to peep over the garden gates and explore. A lot of the gardens have many features that interest children, woodland walks, nature conservation and vegetable plots and the special secret garden look. There are also tropical gardens, Aladdin’s Cave garden, secret rooms and a new one with a Spinney. The Norfolk National Garden Scheme spring garden trail provides gardens of high quality and interest and a variety of garden designs. There is the opportunity to pick up few garden tips from the owners and often plant sales to help create your garden to the NGS standard. Home made cakes and often soup help complete a relaxing garden day out while contributing to worthwhile charities.
Four new gardens open this spring, Spinney Lodge, Gayton April 19th, Burgh House, Aylsham, May 10th & 17th, Ryston Hall May 17th and Conifer Hill, Starston May 24th (featured on the cover of the Norfolk NGS 2009 leaflet). Mr & Mrs Peter Grant are the first of fourteen new National Gardens Scheme gardens opening for the first time at Spinney Lodge. Its name is derived from a spinney, a small circular woodland area. Peter is a hands-on gardener who trained as an agricultural scientist at The Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. There are several of his ideas and constructions including a Victorian raised bed vegetable garden with an automatic irrigation system; a gazebo and summer house; a board walk beside a trout pond adjacent to the river sourced from Gayton Hall and other water features. However his and Myra’s gardening expertise is gained from experience unlike his sister Judith McNeil Wilson who is a trained horticulturist (Chestnut Farm, West Beckham, open August 16th). It can be seen that the two gardens are quite different in design and gardening methods! The other NGS gardens open this spring vary from the Desert World Garden at Santon Downham to the traditional gardens at Wretham Lodge. They range from the woodland walks to the established gardens of Mannington Hall that has opened for 30 years for the Norfolk NGS.
Few people realise that through the National Gardens Scheme £2 million is raised each year for nursing, caring and gardening charities. The charities include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Queen's Nursing Institute, National Trust Horticultural Bursaries, Perennial - The Royal Fund for Gardeners' Children, Crossroads and Help the Hospices
Visit your local Tourist information Centre or garden centre to pick up a Norfolk 2009 leaflet or visit www.norfolkgardens.org and follow the Norfolk National Gardens Scheme garden trail. If your garden is of high quality, character and at least forty five minutes interest contact County Organiser Fiona Black to discuss opening your garden or recommend a friend’s garden! Tel 01692 650247. For NGS enthusiasts, sign up to become a Friend of the NGS and receive newsletters, discounts on NGS events and promotional offers. Purchase The Yellow Book 2009 and join for free!
Sunday, 5th April 2009
Desert World Gardens, Santon Downham IP27 0TU Open 10 – 5 Adm £3
Sunday, Monday 12th/13th April 2009
Grasmere, 57 Ullswater Avenue, South Wootton PE30 3NJ Open 2 – 6 Adm £3
Wretham Lodge, East Wretham IP24 1RL Open 11 – 5 Adm £3
Sunday, 19th April 2009
Bradenham Hall, Bradenham IP25 7QP Open 2.30 – 5 Adm £4
New - Spinney Lodge, Winch Road, Gayton PE32 1QP Open 11 – 4 £3.50
Saturday, 25th April 2009
East Ruston Old Vicarage, East Ruston NR12 9HN Open 2 – 5.30 Adm £6 chd £1
Sunday, 26th April 2009
Croft House, 111 Manor Road, Dersingham PE31 6YW Open 1 – 5 Adm £3