Chelsea comes to Stradsett
THE ROSES at Stradsett Hall have faded, but next summer when they are back at their best, they will provide the perfect backcloth for the largest charity garden show in the region.
It is a dream setting – a typical English country house garden with manicured lawns, mature trees, herbaceous borders, a spectacular rose garden and with 250 acres of parkland and a lake in the background.
"Stradsett is just perfect," said show director Nigel Dyson, who has been organising Chelsea-style charity garden shows across East Anglia for the last ten years. "The key is that all these shows are held in private gardens which are not normally open to the public and that we go to different gardens every year so that visitors have something new to see. This is a wonderful opportunity."
Stradsett Hall is the home of Sir Jeremy and Lady Sarah Bagge who are working closely with the organisers and are determined that the show will raise large sums for charity.
They have given permission for the parkland to be used for fund-raising events in the past but this will be the first time that they have opened up their private gardens.
"We have never done anything like this before and it is quite definitely a challenge," said Lady Sarah. She explained that they were going to create a garden show within a garden, with the main part of the show set out on the south lawn in front of the house, and the rose garden with other attractions and exhibits on the north lawn, which overlooks the park and lake.
pride and joy
The rose garden, a heady mix of perfume and colour in midsummer, is her pride and joy. "The roses will be looking their best for the show," promised Lady Sarah, who looks after the whole garden area with help from gardener Tony Inwood.
She explained that the private gardens have been "rejuvenated" in the last few years. The conservatory has been re-built, alterations made to the shrubberies and herbaceous border and 450 tons of soil was taken out and replaced to improve the rose garden.
The house will not be open to the public, but visitors will be able to walk freely through the gardens and grounds and into the 700-year-old St Mary's Church which will be the location for a flower festival over the weekend.
The programme will start on the Friday evening with an invitation-only gala evening in the conservatory garden and the show-proper will be open from 10am until 6pm on the Saturday and Sunday.
Although the hall gardens will be the centrepiece, they are only part of the programme. Local gardening clubs and designers will exhibit Chelsea-style show gardens and a competition for schools.
trade stands
There will around 100 trade stands, an art show, antiques valuations, a "Praise in the Garden" service on the Sunday morning, a Women's Institute tea garden and other refreshments, croquet and a charity village.
Live music will be provided by Hilgay Silver Band and Fakenham Brass Band.The West Norfolk event follows on from the success of charity show in Essex and Berkshire in 2007 which raised a massive 200,000 for their local causes, and one in Cambridgeshire last summer, which made 65,000.
Charities to be supported by the Stradsett show will be True's Yard Museum, at Lynn, Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House, at Snettisham, the RAF and Army Benevolent Funds, East Anglian Air Ambulance, CLA Charitable Trust, St Mary's Church at Stradsett, Downham Rotary Club, Norfolk WI Federation and the Lynn branch of the National Osteoporosis Society.
Sponsors and helpers are needed and anyone interested should contact Mr Dyson on the website www.stradsetthall.co.uk or on 07802 282193. Inquiries about invitations to the gala evening should also go to the show office.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 12 February 2012
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