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.

 

Blickling Hall - wisteria and rhododendrons

Our day at Blickling started out in the parkland on the search for bluebells. I've seen photos online of woodland carpeted with a stunning blue carpet of flowers and hoped to find it. Two things were against us - it was a little late in the season so the flowers would be past their best, and we didn't know where to look.

I'd seen mention of bluebells on a circular walk near the lake so that's where we headed. We did find some but not the masses I'd expected. In the car park later, a guide said we hadn't been in the best area, so that's a walk for another year.

Still this was a pretty walk and not too strenuous to start the day. There were glimpses of the house in the distance, views over the lake, dragonflies along the path, and pretty paths to follow.

Back to the car then and round to the main entrance to the house and gardens.

It's always an imposing building but on this occasion I was absolutely stunned by the wisteria growing along the building which houses the cafe and shop. 

Then, inside the gardens there was even more! This time along the top of, and tumbling over, the retaining wall between lower and upper gardens. Absolutely wonderful!

Walking onwards then into the upper garden, where the central grassed walk was lined with beautiful hydrangeas.

I've visited Blickling many times but I think this occasion it was at its most impressive

 

Bluebells, wisteria, and apple blossom at Calke

The end of April continued warm and sunny, and bluebells were already flowering, so off to Calke we went to explore.

The Serpentine Wood is the place to find Calke's bluebells, and is best, in my opinion, approached from the 'Calke Explore' playground area as the flowers face that direction and appear bluer. So we stopped at the car park there, and headed straight for the higher part of the wood where the bluebells grow. It possible to walk from the main car park at Calke but we thought our route might be shorter - I'm not actually sure that it was.

A walk in woodland is lovely at any time of year but it's particularly beautiful when the ground is carpeted with bluebells.

The second part of our day was spent in the walled garden where the wisteria was flowering and the orchard in blossom.

We were a little early for the full display of wisteria but the sun-facing walls were covered with purple racemes. I don't think there's anything quite as lovely as wisteria cascading down a wall.

Through the doorway the lavender-edged path leads through the kitchen garden to the orchard - a gorgeous place to sit in the sunshine, especially at this time of year with the trees in blossom.