Bluebells, butterflies and buzzards: Hoveton Hall Gardens Opens New Bluebell Walk
Coppiced woodland also offers chance to see great range of plants, birds and butterflies
During May 2012 Hoveton Hall Gardens will open up a new path through part of the estate not normally open to the public, to allow visitors to enjoy the beautiful carpets of wild bluebells.
The self-guided trail will lead visitors from the watergarden through areas of coppiced woodland and along the lakeside.
Hoveton’s head horticulturalist Stewart Wright says: “The practice of coppicing has died out in many woodlands, but here it continues to provide ideal conditions in which the bluebell bulbs can thrive. It also encourages other woodland plants such as foxgloves, wood anemones and twayblade orchids. The area attracts many birds such as buzzard, blackcap, chiff-chaff, treecreeper and marsh tit. Butterflies likely to be seen include brimstone, comma and speckled wood.”
Hoveton Hall Gardens is one of Norfolk’s best kept secrets. It offers a rare mixture of experiences for gardeners, walkers and families – on the one hand there are the woodlands, the water garden, with its natural tunnels, bridges, nooks and crannies, and the park. On the other are the walled garden, with its unique spider gate, the kitchen garden, the 18th century ice well and the early 19th century glass house. There are also adventure trails and activities for children.
Admission prices are £7.00 for adults, 4-16 year olds £3.50, under 4s free. Family ticket £19.00. OAPs £6.50. Wheelchair users and carers £5 each. Other facilities include the tea rooms, plant sales, gift shop and guided tours. The gardens are open Tuesday – Friday and Sunday, 10.30am to 5.00pm. Last admission 4.00pm. Hoveton Hall Gardens is situated at the edge of the Norfolk Broads, just north of Wroxham. Follow brown and white tourist signs off the A1151.
For more information visit www.hovetonhallgardens.co.uk or call 01603 782558 or 07825 517647.
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Bluebells Trail Launch.docx – Apr-12
Press Enquiries:
Toni Turner or Alison Haynes at The Publicity Works:
01263 761000; hoveton@publicityworks.biz
Harry Buxton, Estate Manager Hoveton Hall Gardens
07825 517647; harry@hoveton.wanadoo.co.uk
Editor’s notes
Set at the edge of the Norfolk Broads, Hoveton Hall Gardens is a delightful mix of formal and informal planting across the seasons. The Hall itself (which is not open to the public), was built between 1809 and 1812 is attributed to Humphry Repton. The walled Kitchen Garden and layout of the ‘Spider Garden’ are shown on maps as early as 1841. Extensive work to the Water Gardens was carried out in the 1920s, by Geoffrey Buxton, and much of the collection of rhododendrons and azaleas was planted under his direction by Waterers Nurseries. The gardens are home to an 18thcentury ice well and an early 19th century glass house – one of only three of its type in the country. The Arboretum has over 200 specimen trees and the Kidney Lake attracts kingfishers and grey herons.
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