Norfolk

Blickling Hall is a stately home in the village of Blickling north of Aylsham in Norfolk, England, that has been in the care of the National Trust since 1940.(Wikipedia) and the estate was once the home of the Boleyn family and now encompasses nearly 5000 acres, with an impressive Jacobean house, a lovely garden and acres of parkland to walk or cycle through.

We visited it in August 2013, during one of the warmest summers we have experienced in recent years. The sight of the beautiful Jacobean mansion, with its turrets and gables and salmon-pink brickwork is breathtaking. I adore symmetry, and this is so wonderfully symmetrical, even the Dutch-style service ranges opposite each other on either side of the wide gravel drive.

Door hidden by Wisteria

Window in Wisteria

Hydrangea ‘petiolaris’

The Dry Moat

From this aspect you have a glimpse of shrubs and climbers such as fuchsias, ferns and hydrangea ‘petiolaris’ on the walls and in the dry moat. This is just an appetiser for what awaits you through the entrance in the east wall.

The Parterre

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I visited Felbrigg Hall, a National Trust house and garden, which is close to the North Norfolk coast, in August 2013. The weather was perfect for visiting an English Garden and due to the late spring we experienced in the UK that year, many flowers were still in their prime.

I particularly liked the African Garden area where drought-tolerant plants such as sedums, osteospermums, euphobias, aloes and agave plants and palms were show-cased.

The Dovecote from the African Garden

Felbrigg has a walled garden (one of my favourite kinds of garden) and the planting is spectacular. There are double borders filled with colourful perennials and annuals, communal fruit and veg allotments, beehives in the orchard, bantams, peacocks and guinea fowl roaming freely, an 18th century octagonal working dovecote and even redwoods in the west garden.

Echinacea

If you tire of the grounds or the weather is inclement then you can always visit the magnificent hall and library or have a bite to eat in one of the cafés.