Our group were able to visit a number of this beautiful village's gardens as Walsham-le-Willows had recently held their Open Gardens Weekend 2011 over the August Bank Holiday, details of which can be found on their website www.walshamopengardens.com. A date for your diary is that they will be celebrating their 32nd Anniversary next year on the 25th and 26th August, the Bank Holiday weekend.

On arrival we were welcomed by Robin Newell, Chairman of The Gardens Weekend Committee whilst we enjoyed tea or coffee accompanied by delicious cakes and biscuits, all made and provided by the W.I. John Stebbing was our guide and he led us round the following gardens, four in the morning and five in the afternoon, all descriptions of which are taken from the official Open Gardens programme:-

When the property was purchased in October 2006 the house and garden were in great need of restoration. This has progressed over the last four years and the predominantly walled garden now has mixed beds of shrubs and herbaceous perennials, together with fruit and ornamental trees. The main aim of the changes was to open out the garden and provide continuous interest through the year, whilst indulging the placement of the owners' favourite species.

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A beautiful, very well maintained cottage garden, totally renovated by its garden designer owners. Undulating lawns, pergolas, topiary and pond give plenty of interest. The garden is full of colour and has been planted and prepared especially for the Gardens Weekend. It has been featured in 'The English Garden' and '25 Beautiful Gardens' magazines and has featured before on television.

 

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A very interesting garden, planted mainly with shrubs, conifers, heathers and mature trees. Small grass pathways lead like a maze between irregular-shpaed beds onto wooden bridges and walkways over two ponds full of aquatic plants and fish. In the centre of this is a lawned area with seating.

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The garden is planted in a cottage style and has been developed over the last two years. There was evidence of the owners' first attempt of straw bale planting and the remainders of their bee ponds. The cottage itself was one of many built for farm workers over a hundred years ago by John Martineau. Each dwelling had half-an-acre of garden, a pigsty, a walnut and an apple tree, a shared bake-house, washhouse and well with a pump, and evidence of all of these are in existence.

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We returned to the Priory Rooms for a wonderful ploughman's lunch, complete with dessert and soft drinks - again, all provided by the W.I.

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John took us all under his wings again and in crocodile fashion we followed him to the following gardens for the afternoon.

A three-acre garden, which has evolved over the past 50 years under the stewardship of the owners, founder of the Gardens Weekend. There are a number of lawns at various levels, herbaceous borders, shrubberies, potager, summerhouse, wild garden by the village stream, shady grotto, water feature and many mature trees.

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A gravel driveway leads to a long garden with steps and uneven paths which following the winding course of the deep and largely unfenced village stream. There are borders of roses, lavenders, fuchsias and perennials, a vegetable garden, a semi-wild area full of snowdrops and primroses in spring under a dapled shade of trees. Topiary and decorative ironwork add interest and there is a delicious and productive Black Hamburg grape in the conservatory.

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A large established garden split into four distinct areas. At the front, behind high hedges, are a lawned area, beds of shrubs and a conservatory. To the side is a small rose garden. Directly behind the house is a paved area with roses, dahlias, fuchsias and greenhouse and behind this again there is a walled garden containing lawn and mixed flower borders full of dahlias, fuchsias, buddleias and roses. Mature trees, a vegetable plot and soft fruit cages complete this garden.

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A small courtyard garden, surrounded by a rill (narrow water channel), which feeds into a filter bed. The courtyard is constructed with slate and is dotted with planted pots and tubs, which follow a colourful theme.

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A very large garden of 3+ acres. Originally an orchard, it is undergoing a long term landscaping project, evidence of which can be seen by tree and hedge planting. Areas already completed are split into different planting themes with archways, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and specimen trees.

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At the end of this exerting day we returned once again to the Priory Rooms for refreshments, and yes, you've guessed it, tables groaning under the weight of yet more home-made cakes provided by the W.I.

On behalf of our group I would just like to thank Robin Newell, John Stebbings (who did not have an easy task keeping us rounded up and on schedule), the garden owners and Walsham W.I. for looking after us so well and making us feel extemely welcome.

All photographs by Linda Hall