Blickling's walled garden
For four centuries, Blickling’s walled garden supplied enough produce to feed the many families who lived and worked on the five thousand acre estate. However despite falling into disrepair during the twentieth century, work began in November 2014 to restore the walled garden to its former glory.
The five-year restoration project of the 1930s kitchen garden has been funded by donations from across the estate, with particular thanks to a generous portion from Blickling's second-hand bookshop.
We’re proud that in 2018 our visitors can now reap the rewards of the garden’s restoration. With fruit, vegetables and herbs growing in abundance, visitors can not only explore the walled garden in full splendour, but also enjoy eating much of its produce in our cafés.
Mobility scooters are available from East Wing visitor reception, so that those with limited mobility can explore the garden further. We can also provide you with a mobility map to show you a route that avoids steps and allows you to access a wider experience of the beautiful surroundings.
Discoveries to make in the garden
Secret spaces
There are two secret tunnels in the garden, which are a particular favorite for families to explore and enjoy a game of hide and seek. The larger tunnel has tree stump seats - perfect for a secret picnic.
The secret garden is a place for quiet contemplation or a good read. It is on the east side of the wilderness, surrounded by beech hedges. The trellis seat was probably put there for Lady Suffield by John Adey Repton.
The Acre and Parade
Take a stroll on the Acre and enjoy spectacular views across the lake, whilst observing an abundance of wildlife. The lime trees and the turkey oak are particular highlights, with twisting branches and unique character.
Next to the Acre, the Parade is an ideal spot for a picnic and becomes the centre for family activities during school holidays.
The Parterre
The planting of the parterre was radically simplified by renowned garden designer Norah Lindsay for the 11th Marquess of Lothian in 1932. She retained the yew hedge topiary but replaced the intricacies of the Victorian planting with four large herbaceous plots in cool and hot colours, surrounded by beds of roses and catmint.
The Orangery
The site of the Orangery was chosen in 1781. In 1793 it contained large, young and dwarf orange trees, but due to being unheated today, it houses much hardier citrus trees. The statue of Hercules is probably a Nicholas Stone figure and the majolica plaques, in the style of Luca della Robbia, were crafted in the nineteenth century.
The Temple
This building is first mentioned in 1738 but it was probably built some 10 years before. In the frieze the monograms of Sir John Hobart (later 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire) alternate with the Hobart bull. The temple was built in the Doric style and is the highlight of an impressive vista down to the house.
Wilderness
The concept of the 'wilderness' is much more structured than its name implies and dates from the earliest Jacobean garden. During the 1987 gales many trees were lost overnight. All have now been replaced with new trees planted to fill earlier gaps.
Topiary and yew hedges
The yew hedges line the front drive leading to the house. The annual trimming begins in August with the topiary in the parterre, followed by the ancient yew hedges. In days gone by, this used to be an extremely laborious task, but today is completed in little over a fortnight with mechanical cutters, a cherry picker and constant attention to line and form.
