Open Gardens for St John Norfolk
St John Ambulance Norfolk is very
grateful to the owners of the gardens, listed below, for allowing
them to be opened to raise funds for the work carried out in the
county. Please remember that these are private properties and
are opened due to the generosity of their owners.
All gardens are opened with free parking,
home made refreshments and plant sales available.
Sunday 12
February
Open 1 – 4pm
BRINTON HALL, Stody Road, Brinton,
Holt NR24
2QH
The Hall is opposite the Church set in a formal garden with
shrubs, winter planting, a hothouse and parkland sweeping down to
water meadows. In 2010 the area was made a County Wildlife Site and
there are many marked woodland walks round the lake and through
carpets of naturalised snowdrops on the far side.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home made refreshments, dogs
on leads.
Directions: 1 mile from B1110 Holt-Guist road signed at
Briningham, also from A148 Holt-Fakenham road.
Sunday 29
April
Open 2 – 5.30pm
THE MOWLE, Staithe Road, Ludham, NR29
5NP
A wonderfully interesting 2.5acre garden with
a national collection of gunnera, many different plants and unusual
trees. A board walk goes into a wild area with a new natural
pond attracting a range of birds. Good for wheelchairs with
many paved paths and there are some exciting Zimbabwean sculptures
throughout the garden.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home made
teas, no dogs.
Directions: B1026 from Wroxham to Ludham and
turn right by Church to Staithe Road. Follow signs to gardens on
left and parking on right.
Sunday 6
May
Open 2 – 5.30pm
CLERMONT HOUSE, Little Cressingham,
IP25 6LY
A Spring garden of 13 acres with a diversity
of planting making a wonderful haven for wildlife. There is a
fine collection of specimen trees, a woodland garden with shrubs
and bulbs, a pond, walled garden and labyrinth. A lovely place to
walk in.
Adults £4.50; under 12s free. Home
made teas, dogs on leads.
Directions: South of Swaffham on A1065, then
B1108 towards Watton. Follow signs.
Sunday 20
May
Open 2 – 5.30pm
ELMHAM HOUSE AND SILVERSTONE
FARM
North Elmham, Dereham
NR20 5JY and NR20 5EX
A chance to see two completely different
gardens a couple of miles apart. Elmham House is set in
parkland with wonderful azaleas and specimen trees, a walled garden
part of which is a working vegetable garden with flower beds and an
ornamental pond. Silverstone Farm is the home of the well
known garden designer George Carter who specialises in formal
structure and topiary. There are many examples of his work
including a new water feature.
Adults £6 for both gardens; under 12s
free. Home made teas at Elmham House.
No dogs.
Directions: Elmham House is in the centre of
the village on the B1110. Silverstone Farm is north of the B1145 at
Brisley following the Gateley road and signs. There will be more
signs between the two.
Sunday 27
May
Open 12 – 5pm
THE OLD RECTORY, Brandon Parva, NR9
4DL
A mature 4 acre garden with a large collection
of specimen trees and a huge variety of shrubs, flowers and
climbing plants. There are formal lawns edged by beautiful
mixed borders, a woodland garden and pond garden; also a walled
garden and pergolas creating long shady walkways. The croquet
lawn will be open for visitors to play on.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home made
teas, dogs on leads.
Directions: B1108 Norwich-Watton turning right
to Barnham Broom. Left at X roads by shop then follow road for
about 3 miles fork left to Yaxham and look for signs.
Sunday 24
June
Open 2 – 5.30pm
KEMPSTONE MANOR FARM, Litcham, PE32
2LG
A traditional 18th century Norfolk
Farmhouse set in lovely grounds. The woodland walk has a 30ft
pergola covered with roses and leads to the more formal part of the
garden where there are flower and shrub borders, clipped box and
yew with lawns round the buildings and house. The latest addition
is a water feature and there are some surprising sculptures.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home
made teas, no dogs.
Directions: 1 mile from Great Dunham and
Litcham between the two villages.
Sunday 1
July
Open 11am – 5pm
SWANTON MORLEY HOUSE, Hoe Road North,
Dereham, NR20 4PY
A restored 9 acre garden with woodland.
Mature specimens of unusual trees and shrubs with newly planted
borders. Wildlife pond, potager style kitchen garden,
topiary, herbaceous borders and gravel garden, ha ha and parkland.
Alice in Wonderland themed garden with treasure trail for children
who are especially welcome. Exhibitions from local artists
and photographers.
Adults £4.50; under 12s free.
Home made refreshments, no dogs.
Directions: From B1147 between Dereham and
Swanton Morley turn north to Mann’s Lane, left to Hoe Road East,
right to Hoe Road North. Follow signs.
Sunday 15
July
Open 2 – 5.30pm
BESTHORPE HALL, Attleborough, NR 17
2LJ
A longish drive leads to the house which is
set in a very interesting garden with a wide mixture of trees,
shrubs and lovely herbaceous borders laid out within Tudor
enclosures. There are masses of roses and a re-designed
vegetable garden.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home made
teas, no dogs.
Directions: 1 mile east of Attleborough on the
Bunwell road next to Besthorpe Church
Sunday 2
September
Open 2 – 5.30pm
THE OLD HOUSE, Ranworth, NR13
6HS
The garden is beside Ranworth Inner Broad and
mown woodland paths run through an area of trees. There is a formal
vegetable garden and wonderful shrubs and roses. The divisions in
the gardens follow the pattern of old buildings as the site was
originally a farm.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home made
teas, no dogs.
Directions: 9 miles NE of Norwich on B1140.
Left in South Walsham to Ranworth and follow signs.
Sunday 7
September
Open 2 – 5.30pm
BECK FARM, The Green, Brisley, NR20
5LL
An acre of variety on the edge of Brisley
Common with a spectacular line of 14 clipped holm oaks, herbaceous
and mixed borders, topiary, pond and bog plantings. Kitchen garden,
new potager and mini orchard, container planting and many ideas for
late summer colour.
Adults £4; under 12s free. Home
made teas, no dogs.
Directions:Turn off B1145 by the pillbox east of The Bell PH on
Brisley Green between Mileham and North Elmham.