Pages

Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Lyme - rhododendrons


A trip up north to see my daughter gave me chance to stop off at Lyme again.

This time the rhododendrons were in full flower - around the sides of the Italian garden and on the far side of the lake.










It was a very hot day, so ice cream was needed, and a walk in the shelter of trees much appreciated.









Thursday, 10 July 2025

Houghton Hall wisteria



On this trip to Norfolk I was looking round gardens for wisteria.
Belton had some in a surprising spot by the entrance. Blickling had walls covered with it. So I thought we'd pretty much found peak wisteria - till I saw Houghton's pergola!

There's lots to see as you enter the walled garden.











In a far corner though, glimpsed at first beyond formal hedging, lies an enchanting surprise. Not just a plant or two but a tunnel of gorgeous lilac wisteria





Walking underneath it is almost like being in a fairy-tale. The nearest thing I've seen to it is the laburnum arch at Bodnant, but lovely as that is it doesn't have the scent or enchantment of wisteria. It helps that at Houghton there were far fewer people in the garden, and, while we were there, no one else under the wisteria pergola.





Still photos can't really capture the wonder of it, so do go if you have the opportunity.








Houghton's walled garden occupies 5 acres so there's lots much to see - long magnificent herbaceous border, quiet nooks with statues or water features, a greenhouse with exotic flowers and fruit, a cottage-garden style vegetable patch with flowers.rambling among the productive rows.










 

Friday, 4 July 2025

Seaside


Despite the warm weather I hadn't intended this to be a beach holiday but even so I wasn't going to go to Norfolk and not visit the seaside. Walking round Felbrigg had left me too exhausted to think of going that evening, but Blickling hadn't proved so strenuous and after our visit there we headed to Cromer for fish and chips from No 1 restaurant.


My intention had been to grab a tale-away and sit by the sea, but the earlier pleasant breeze had turned into a gale! Walking along the seafront was definitely bracing, the pier was too windy to sit there for long, and the wind whistled down Cromer's narrow streets.




Fortunately No 1 has an indoor restaurant, with wonderful views out to sea, so we ate in comfort without losing our food to the wind.





Nest day we were heading home, but not without another visit to the coast - this time at Cley-next-the-Sea.
We started with a  second breakfast at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's visitor centre, followed by a walk through the marshes into Cley itself. This isn't really seaside but the marshes are strange and otherworldly with a beauty all of their own. The serious birdwatchers were impressed by activity within the nature reserve, but I'm not very clued-up on birds and was excited to spot a swan 









From the windmill we walked along the boardwalk which leads behind houses by the creek, then back through the village stopping in at galleries along the way.






Then back to the visitor centre for cake before heading on our way.