29 May 2019
The adjoining counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk feature on this tour of some of the finest gardens that East Anglia has to offer, many of which have connections to the RHS, making them just that little bit special.
We begin in Essex, with visits to RHS Garden Hyde Hall, which showcases a selection of different styles including rose and Mediterranean gardens and a new wildflower meadow, and continue to Beth Chatto’s famous garden and nursery, which was created in 1960 from overgrown wasteland with poor gravel soil and has been transformed into an informal garden harmonising with the surrounding countryside.
We continue to Helmingham Hall gardens, where the house, parkland and gardens together create an exceptional work of art. This is followed with a visit to Wyken Hall vineyards and gardens - the vineyard produces some 12,000 bottles a year, while the garden features an old-fashioned rose garden, a knot and herb garden, and an orchard.
We will then have the privilege of visiting Raveningham Hall, the garden of RHS President Sir Nicholas Bacon Bt, along with East Ruston Old Vicarage, an inspirational exotic garden which lies less than two miles from the North Sea.
Our final day takes us to The Place for Plants at East Bergholt Place, a fine nursery and garden owned by an RHS committee member, and Marks Hall Garden and Arboretum, whose extensive collection is planted on a geographical theme, with plants from the temperate regions of the world grouped together.
What's included?
- Accommodation
- Services of a professional tour manager
- Comfortable coach travel throughout
- Meals - as per the itinerary
Tour details
| Dates | 29 May 2019 - 1 June 2019 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 days |
| Cost | £625 Deposit: £100 Single supplement: £90 Balance due by 6 March 2019 |
| Activity Level | Easy-Going |
| Tour code | BWPGE19A |
Departure Points
| Location | Depart | Return |
|---|---|---|
|
London
Tothill St, Westminster |
0800 | 1730 |
Please note all timings are approximate and may be changed. They will be confirmed when the joining instructions are sent out, approximately ten days prior to departure.
Book Now or call 01334 657155 if you have any questions
29 May 2019: Itinerary
We depart by coach from London and head for our first visit, RHS Hyde Hall at Rettendon, south of Chelmsford. This is an enormous garden with an immensely wide range of plants – daylilies, irises, peonies, roses, and countless trees and shrubs. Hyde Hall has two National Collections: crab apples (Malus) and viburnums. No gardener could come here without being informed and delighted.
We continue to Beth Chatto Gardens, near Colchester. The garden was created in 1960 by Beth and Andrew Chatto from overgrown wasteland with poor gravel soil and boggy hollows. They transformed the area into an informal garden harmonising with the surrounding countryside and complemented by a large retail nursery with a wide range of plants. In the gravel garden, areas have been filled with drought loving plants, emulating a winding dried up river bed. The gentle descent of what was a soggy hollow has now been turned into dramatic water gardens. Sadly Beth Chatto passed away in May 2018 but her garden will continue to thrive under the direction of Beth’s granddaughter.
We continue to our accommodation at the Dunston Hall Hotel. Dinner will be served in the evening.
Meals include: Dinner
Hotel: Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich
This morning, after breakfast, we will travel to Wyken Hall and Vineyards this afternoon. Their beautiful formal gardens are bursting with topiary, herbs, roses, and fruit trees. As we make our way through the grounds, we are sure to be joined by a meandering peacock or two, as well as guinea fowl and chickens. The exquisite Elizabethan manor house, is surrounded by head-height yew hedges, which offer the perfect protection from East Anglia’s 'lazy winds'.
We continue to Helmingham Hall, near Stowmarket, where the house, parkland and gardens together create an exceptional work of art. The house overlooks a deer park with a double avenue of oaks and to one side a walled kitchen garden has been turned to ornamental purposes. At the entrance a box-edged parterre with Santolina is surrounded by borders of Hybrid Musk roses and hedges of lavender. Few great historic houses have gardens as attractive as Helmingham Hall.
Dinner is served back at our hotel in the evening.
Meals include: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich
After breakfast we will transfer to the gardens of Raveningham Hall. The gardens and park are protected by shelter belts of woodland, herbaceous and mixed borders, wildflower meadows and rolling lawns. Within the walled Victorian garden we find fruit, vegetables and fragrant cut flowers including sweet peas which are grown for use in the house. A highlight of our visit is the Time Garden – designed around Francis Bacon’s essays based on the passage of Time. Sculptures by Susan Bacon can also be found dotted around the grounds, surrounded by an 18th century Park with grand oaks of great age. Throughout the year the parkland setting provides a glorious backdrop to the Hall and the main garden.
We round off today with a visit to the breath-taking 20-acre East Ruston Old Vicarage garden which for many will be the highlight of our visit to Norfolk. It is quite unbelievable that such an exotic garden can lie less than two miles from the North Sea. With the benefit of good shelter beds and hedging it has been possible to grow many plants not normally associated with Norfolk. This is truly one of Britain’s great new gardens.
Dinner is served in the evening.
Meals include: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich
This morning after breakfast we check out of the hotel and travel to the incomparable Place for Plants at East Bergholt. The garden has been run by the owners since 1995, and they opened the plant centre a year later. One of the owners serves on several of The Royal Horticultural Society’s Committees, and is also involved with the Suffolk Agricultural Association and Tree Register of the British Isles. In Spring, the garden puts on a fabulous display with magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons. Throughout the rest of the year, we see fine examples of yew topiary, ornamental ponds and many rare and unusual trees and shrubs. We will enjoy a guided tour here.
We continue to our final visit – the geographically themed gardens at Marks Hall. Making our way across the historic landscape we view areas representing Europe, Asia, North America and the Southern Hemisphere. A real highlight of our tour is the Millennium Walk – its structure, colour and scent has been designed to represent the shortest days of the year. The gardens are also home to the largest planting Wollemi Pine in Europe.
Following this, our final visit, we return to our original pick-up point.
Meals include: Breakfast
29 May 2019: Additional Info
29 May 2019: Accommodation
Situated in 150 acres of wooded parkland, the Dunston Hall hotel combines Elizabethan and Victorian styles. It has an 18 hole USA PGA championship golf course, a driving range, a footgolf course, an indoor swimming pool and a spa.
Each room at Hotel Dunston Hall offers a TV with satellite channels. There is free WiFi to enjoy, and 500 spaces for free car parking on-site.
With three restaurants to choose from, there is plenty of choice. Head to the informal Brasserie Restaurant for a breakfast buffet in the morning and carvery buffet selections in the evening. The Garden Terrace bar also offers afternoon tea, refreshing drinks and a light bite with views of the hotel gardens. Alternatively, visit the Bunkers Bar for drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.
