Gardens of East Anglia

We depart from Sussex and travel via The Dartford Tunnel to the RHS Garden at Hyde Hall. With sweeping panoramas, big open skies and far reaching views this Essex garden is an inspiration to visitors of all ages. The garden boasts an eclectic range of inspirational horticultural styles from traditional to modern, providing interest and colour, whatever the weather or time of year. Highlights include the traditional styled Hilltop Garden with its lush green lawns, ponds and roses and the Mediterranean Dry Garden which showcases drought tolerant plants. There is also a super new visitor centre housing the shop and café. Later in the afternoon we continue to our hotel.

This morning we make our way to Bressingham. The Bressingham Dell Garden was created by Alan Bloom in 1953. Famous for its Island Beds of perennials, it is now looked after by his son-in-law Jaime Blake. In 1967, Alan’s son Adrian began a completely different garden nearby, Foggy Bottom, which became equally renowned for its year round interest, and from 2000 Adrian has added Adrian’s Wood, The Summer Garden, The Winter Garden and The Fragrant Garden, creating a total of 17 acres with 8,000 species and varieties of plants which blend and flow between sweeping grass pathways. New plantings and great combinations, including flowing rivers of spectacular plants, make this a special place to get ideas and inspiration. These highly acclaimed world-renowned Gardens are a mecca for anyone interested in gardening, with many recent visitors claiming they are the best they have seen. Bressingham is also home to a steam museum which, time permitting,  you may wish to visit.

After breakfast we drive to The Snape Maltings a unique collection of shops, galleries and  cafes on the banks of the River Aide. It is also home to the world famous Snape Maltings Concert Hall which is home to the Aldeburgh Music Festival. We spend a little time here this morning before making our way to Sutton Hoo NT.  In 1939 archaeologists unearthed an astonishing Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Woodbridge astonishing both for the state of preservation of the objects within the tomb, but also for the sheer rich quality of the artefacts. The burial goods from Sutton Hoo are remarkable - gold weapons and armour, inlaid ornaments, silver and tableware. Also found within the ship was a purse containing 37 gold Merovingian (Gaulish) gold coins dating from the 620's AD. The site is now the responsibility of the National Trust and The Sutton Hoo Society. Tranmer House the home of Mrs Edith Pretty who was the landowner that instigated the first dig at the sight now has three rooms open to visit as well. 

This morning we visit Spencer’s Garden at Great Yeldham. The walled garden retains Lady Anne's 1760 layout with its grid structure and elegant timber-framed greenhouse, said to be the oldest in Essex. In spring and summer the garden overflows with beauty and colour – huge tumbling wisteria, startling armies of "trueblue" Lord Butler delphiniums, lavender walks, dazzling herbaceous borders and a vibrant green clover garden enclosed by pleached pears. Roses are a speciality and appear in many forms – an avenue of standard Icebergs, a climbing "bonnet" of Albertine, a huge Kiftsgate arch, Graham Thomas massed around the central sundial, a pergola of fragrant climbers and beds planted for their scent and dramatic colour combinations. There is also the woodland gardens just below, in a little valley alongside the young river Colne.  Later we drive to Beth Chatto’s Garden. Faced with all kinds of difficult conditions Beth and Andrew Chatto set out to find homes for many of the plants they wished to grow. With dry and damp soil in both sun and shade, they were able put into practice the underlying principles of what is now referred to as "Ecological gardening". There is a series of 4 gardens - Scree, Gravel, Woodland and Water all with lush leafy plantings of Gunnera, Eupatorium, Phormium and impressive Miscanthus around a series of natural ponds. Beth Chatto’s garden is often mentioned as one of the great garden visits.  

We have a feeling today will be the show-stealer as we visit two smaller private gardens Our first visit this morning is to Beeleigh Abbey Gardens near Maldon. The three-acre garden has stunning displays across the season, from the first fruit blossoms, magnolias and daffodils of spring to the late flowering perennials in the extensive mixed borders. Taken over by the Foyle family in 2000, the gardens have gone from strength to strength with the addition of many new areas including bog, kitchen and soft fruit gardens. The latest one being a cascading fountain water feature completed in April 2016. The gardens are surrounded by mature trees and at the northern end you’ll find the tidal stretch of the River Chelmer. There’s a lovely carpet of bluebells that leads down to the water come May time. Look out for the lovely 20 metre wisteria walkway containing 5 different varieties that divides the orchard from the rose garden. Later we make the short journey to Elwys Lodge at Woodham Walter. On entering the drive, the hidden secrets of this highly praised, peaceful garden will surprise and delight! You will see how the Cox’s have developed their garden over the last 15 years. Flowing lawns, herbaceous borders, unusual plants, trees, wildlife pond, sedum roof and a meadow area. Secluded chamomile-scented lower garden with raised vegetable beds and fruit garden that leads to a delightful summer house with amazing views over the countryside towards the Blackwater Estuary.

Later in the afternoon we make our way back to Sussex and having mad a suitable stop en route we expect to be back in the Maresfield area by approximately 18.30.