Flora Nova, Foxley, Bawdeswell, NR20 4SS (morning visit)

For something completely different we visited 'Flora Nova' in the morning.  'Flora Nova' breeds and develops bedding plants.

Nick Belfield-Smith is in charge of plant-breeding, including petunias and pelargoniums. He led us round the site and was a most informative guide.
 

Woodgate Nursery, Cawston Road, Aylsham, NR11 6UH (www.woodgatenursery.co.uk)

In the afternoon we visited this very pleasant, general nursery with shade plants, shrubs, perennials, alpines, ericaceous shrubs and water plants as well as bedding and herbs, hedging and climbers.  They also had a wide range of composts, decorative stone and plant pots.  Peter Purdy, the proprietor told us the history of the nursery and three of our members were lucky enough to win some very choice specimens when answering a question correctly - one such plant was a Wollemi pine.

photographs by Linda Hall