Page 20 - Town & Around - February 2025

20 Town & Around February 2025 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Snettisham Gardening Club It’s Snowdrop Festival Time

e start our 2025 programme with our AGM on Wednesday he garden visiting season is already upon us and four fabulous
29th January at the Memorial Hall, Old Church Road at gardens will be opening for the National Garden Scheme’s
W7.30pm. TSnowdrop Festival. How fortunate we are in Norfolk to have
Advance notice is we will be holding our Annual Village Show on these four gardens which have opened their gates for visitors for many
Saturday 13th July 2025 which is open to all, not just members, so if years. In the west of the county is Lexham Hall near Litcham, to the
you want to plan your entries it is never too soon to think about it and north near Docking is Bagthorpe Hall, staying north of the county near
schedules are available. Sheringham is Chestnut Farm and north of Norwich is Horstead House.
Our speaker on Wednesday February 26th will be Ash Murrray who All welcome children who are admitted free. So, bring along the dog,
will talk about Wild West Norfolk (don’t worry no cowboys present). nan too and have an inexpensive day out raising money for the nursing
On March 26th Stuart Grant will be updating us on keeping Bees and health charities which we support.
and will hopefully be able to bring along an observation hive and some
honey. Friday 31st January 11-4
For any further information about the club please call Gail on 01485 Chestnut Farm, Church Road, West Beckham, Holt, NR25 6NX
541279 or Addie on 01485 544754. Adm £5, chd free. Pre-booking essential. Light refreshments. Dogs
welcome on leads. Mature three-acre garden developed over 60 years
Downham Market and District with collections of many rare and unusual plants and trees. There are
Horticultural Society over 100 varieties of snowdrops, with drifts of crocus and seasonal
flowering shrubs.
Affiliated to: Royal Horticultural Society
Sunday 9th February and Sunday 16th February 11-4
ur AGM is looming up in March, and with it an exciting new Lexham Hall, nr Litcham, PE32 2QJ.
programme of monthly talks and events. Do come along and
Osee what we’re all about! Adm £6.00 chd free. Light refreshments. Dogs welcome on leads.
We organise twelve interesting and useful horticultural-themed talks Parkland with lake and river walks surround C17/18 Hall (not open).
and demonstrations each year. Each one is followed by a short question Year-round interest and in February enjoy a lovely ramble through the
and answer session, and often the speaker brings plants or other items woods and borders carpeted with snowdrops and some winter shrubs.
related to their talk for members to purchase. There is then Walk back through the walled-garden with its crinkle-crankle wall.
complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits, and a chance to catch up with
fellow members, find out about any future garden visits and other Saturday 15th February 11-4.
events, and view any slideshows. We also have a popular raffle and a Also open by arrangement* 8th - 21st Feb
‘magazine swap’ area. Additionally, members enjoy generous Horstead House, Mill Road, Horstead, Norwich, NR12 7AU.
discounts from Downham Market Garden Centre and Suttons Seeds, Adm £5, chd free. Home-made teas. Dogs welcome on leads.
so keen gardeners can recoup the cost in no time. Stunning display of beautiful snowdrops carpet the woodland setting
What a bargain – all this for just £10 per person per year! with winter-flowering shrubs. Another beautiful feature is the
2024’s highlights included a fascinating demonstration on growing collection of dogwoods growing on a small island in the river Bure,
and caring for bonsai trees; a talk on daffodils – who knew there were which flows through the garden. There is also a small walled garden.
so many different types? – and butterfly gardening in a changing Wheelchair access to main snowdrop area.
environment (see photo).
This coming year promises new speakers and different topics, from Sunday 23rd February 11-4
‘Know your Tomatoes’, to a very personal account of the discovery of
a local colony of wild bumblebees. Also lined up is ‘All Muck and
Magic?’, a talk on soil improvers and fertilisers, which will tie in nicely
with a composting workshop planned for later this year.
Our first garden visit of the year will be to Oxborough Hall later this
month to view their stunning display of snowdrops and winter aconites
(weather permitting). Look out for photos in a future issue.
Our main event each year is our Summer Show – this year’s is on
Saturday 12 July 2025. Start thinking now about what to enter, and
look out for the free programmes, which will be appearing in local
shops from Easter onwards.
If you wish to join our friendly Society, or just find out more, Judith,
our membership secretary, would be delighted to hear from you.
Contact Judith on 01366 501466 or email jt.mazur@tiscali.co.uk.

Bagthorpe Hall, Bagthorpe, Bircham, King’s Lynn, PE31 6QY.
Adm £5, chd free. Light refreshments. Dogs welcome on leads.
A delightful circular walk which meanders through a splendid display
of snowdrops naturally carpeting a woodland floor, and then returns
through a walled garden.
Sunday 23rd February 11-4
Chestnut Farm, Church Road, West Beckham, Holt, NR25 6NX
Adm £5, chd free. Light refreshments. Dogs welcome on leads.
Mature three-acre garden developed over 60 years with collections
of many rare and unusual plants and trees. There are over 100
varieties of snowdrops, with drifts of crocus and seasonal flowering
shrubs.
Before visiting a garden, it is advisable to check the website for up
Members enjoying a recent talk in Downham Market Town Hall. to date information: www.ngs.org.uk