The Old Vicarage Garden in East Ruston, Norfolk, is a remarkable and amazing achievement. I visited on a hot day and in the smaller courtyards, surrounded by hedges and high trees it felt like the tropics! The gardens are only open from 2.00-5.30 and you need all that time to really enjoy the plantings and understand the garden. And a tea house will provide a half-time break.

The gardens cover c.32 acres and were established about twenty years ago. The first action taken by the owners was to plant trees around the property, providing protection from the sea winds and creating the micro-climate so obvious on my visit.

The fuchsias were beautiful, planted in over-size containers and many years old. The container plantings reminded me of the importance of scale – to make an impact, even in a small garden, you need to plant big! I have no idea how to identify the varieties but will try with the help of this site.

There were many vistas and views and I could do a whole post – but I need more photographs!

And plants which were beautiful on the day –

Angel’s Fishing Rod – Dierama

And plants which I have never seen before –

I took away an idea for planting my patio in London – I need to think of BIG containers, and I need to grow standard and bush fuchsias.