Suffolk Gardens

							                             Suffolk has an array of breath-taking and
relaxing gardens open for visitors to admire and explore. Packed with
both ever popular and rare breeds of plants, flowers and trees, Suffolk
Gardens promise something for everyone. The spring and summer months are
the perfect time to take a stroll through the picturesque scenery, spot
wildlife and perhaps picnic on the lawn or in the rolling Suffolk
countryside. Outlined below is a guide to the gardens that Suffolk has to
offer - the only problem is deciding which one you want to visit
first!Somerleyton Hall in Lowestoft is an archetypal Tudor-Jacobean
mansion surrounded by the picturesque and unique Somerleyton Gardens.
Included is a walled garden, a pergola with some old wisteria, roses,
clematis and vines, and the arboreta features rhododendrons, azaleas and
a fine collection of specimen trees. Surely the highlight of any visit to
Somerleyton is the Maze, designed and planted in 1846. The journey to the
centre and back is nearly 800 yards - however, be warned that should you
make a mistake during the twists and turns of your expedition, it could
take you considerably longer! Most areas of the Hall and gardens are
wheelchair accessible, and guide dogs are welcome. There are two disabled
toilets at the top of gardens and also in the Winter Garden. Somerleyton
is open from Sunday 5th April to Sunday 1st November, with the gardens
being open between 10am-5pm, and the Hall from 11:30am to 3:30pm 9last
tour). Entry to the Gardens is £5/Adult and £3/Child, and entry to the
Hall and Gardens is £8.25/Adult and £4.25/Child. Family tickets are
available at a cost of £23. Somerletyon Hall has many designated picnic
areas with parking available. For more information about visits and
private tours, please call 01502 734901.At Ickworth House, Park & Gardens
in Bury St Edmunds you will find an extraordinary oval house with
flanking wings, begun in 1795, surrounded by the beautiful Gold and
Silver Gardens, a Victorian Stumpery and the Temple Rose Garden. These
gardens are designed in the Italian style and were created in the first
half of the 19th century. A raised terrace walk separates the Gardens
from the Park, which features 1,800 acres of wooded parkland rich in
plant, animal, and bird life, so there is much to explore. There is also
an adventure playground onsite, along with a woodland trim trail and
family cycle route. A visit to Bressingham Steam and Gardens is sure to
make a fun-packed day out for all the family. At Bressingham you will
discover one of Europe's leading steam collections alongside the
beautiful gardens. Guests are invited to wander in the Dell Garden, and
also Foggy Bottom and the adjacent gardens. After taking in the scenery,
you can go to the award-winning Blooms of Bressingham garden centre and
nursery to speak to an expert and pick up a plant to take home to your
own garden. Wyken Hall Gardens in Stanton surround the romantic
Elizabethan manor house, and are open to visitors throughout the summer
(please note, the house is not open to the public) from Sunday to Friday
at 2-6pm. Here you will find a garden lover's paradise, providing rich
variety on a sympathetic scale, including herb garden, knot garden, rose
garden, kitchen garden, wildflower meadows, nuttery, maze and the
Millenium Giant Stride. The delightful knot garden and formal herb garden
were designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. The rose garden features old roses
and has a long pergola smothered with flowers. A border in vibrant
colours runs along the outside wall of the kitchen garden, which features
fruit trees and a greenhouse. A walk through ancient woodlands leads to
the Wyken Vineyards. Christchurch Park in Ipswich is a 70-acre area of
rolling lawns, wooded areas, and delicately created arboreta featuring a
stunning and varied collection of trees. Christchurch was the first
public park in the town, opening in 1895, and surrounds Christchurch
Mansion on the ruins of the old priory. The Mansion is now the site of an
historical museum, art gallery and tea room.Christchurch Park is home to
in excess of 100 different bird varieties and many squirrels inhabit the
arboreta. Facilities within the park include tennis courts, a croquet
lawn, a bowling green, children's play area, public toilets, kiosks and
shelters. Christchurch Park is also the centre of many of Ipswich's
leisure and entertainment events, such as The Ipswich Carnival, The
Ipswich Flower Show, The Remembrance Day Ceremony and The Ip-Art
Festival. Opening is from Monday to Saturday, at 7.30am, and Sunday at
9am, until approximately 4pm during the winter and 8-9pm during the
summer.In Bury St Edmunds, you can discover the beautiful public Abbey
Gardens surrounding the ruins of the Bury St Edmunds Abbey. Stunning
summer bedding displays set the tone for the annual Bury in Bloom
campaign, and the gardens include a host of ducks, a children's play
area, aviaries, tennis courts, a bowling green, a teashop and a riverside
walk leading towards a local nature reserve known as No Man's Meadows.
The park is open from 7.30am until dusk Monday to Saturday and from 9am
until dusk on Sundays.Helmingham Hall Gardens in Helmingham Stowmarket
promises a day out you are not likely to forget. The Grade 1 Listed
gardens, set within a 400 year-old ancient red deer park, surround the
spectacular moated Tudor Hall which has been owned an occupied by the
Tollemache family for the past 500 years. The rich traditional gardens
are complimented by a wonderful balance of nature and the modern
accents.Visitors will be spoilt for choice when deciding on where to
begin their day wandering around these peaceful gardens. You will not
want to miss The Knot Garden. This is a magnificent sight, whether viewed
up close or from the windows of the Hall. It features two knot patterns
planted in box, with each pattern being divided into four squares. Two of
the squares depict the Tollemache fret, and contain plants introduced
into Britain before 1750.The Rose Garden is of breath-taking beauty, and
features many rare as well as traditional breeds of roses, such as
'Mundi', 'The Fairy', catmints and forget-me-nots. This dense planting in
a restricted colour range is very effective. Crossing over the moat you
will find the Wild Flower Garden and Orchard, flourishing with primroses,
cowslips, and ox-eye daisies to name but a few. Here also is the tennis
court, which is designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. After the
formality of the previous gardens it is refreshing to find an area of
natural wildness on the edge of the Tudor deer park.