This week begins a series of English garden tours on my blog highlighting a recent trip to Cheshire – Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Surrey. I have seven gardens to show you starting with this one at Helmingham Hall, the home of my good friend and garden designer Xa Tollemache.
Hellmingham Hall gardens are open to the public May through early September.
Opening Times – 3rd May to 20th September 2015
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 12.00 – 5.00pm
Open Bank Holiday Mondays
(opening times on event days may vary)
In addition to the gardens at Helmingham Hall, Xa has designed landscapes for homes in Great Britain, the U.S. and Europe. She took me to see the gardens she designed at Denston Hall.
Maestro guards the knot garden at Helmingham.
The parterre gardens are a favorite spot of mine. I love the combination of grey and green.
Head gardener Roy Balaam has been working at Helmingham since 1952.
A grand urn surrounded by white ‘Sonata’ cosmos is a beautiful focal point.
Water plays a magical role in the garden’s design reflecting the sky and the hall. An eco-friendly bank of wildflowers edges the moat.
A lovely urn planted with Campanula ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ and purple bell vine (Rhodochiton)
Deer in the park are beautiful to observe at the end of the day as they move closer to the hall.
The element of whimsy is incorporated into the garden with fanciful topiary like this comfy chair and jolly snowman.
 Xa discussing the merits of Deutzia.
The herbaceous borders feature a glorious and diverse range of plants. Many American native wildflowers are in the garden such as Joe-pye weed and purple coneflower.
Globe artichokes.
This sundial is a subtle focal point.
A beautiful late flowering clematis.
The dahlias were magnificent.
