News: Gardens

25 Years of the Millennium Garden: A Celebration for the Ages This week at Pensthorpe, we’ve been celebrating a very special milestone – the 25th anniversary of our Millennium Garden. Designed by world-renowned plantsman Piet Oudolf, this breathtaking space has been delighting visitors since 2000 and remains one of the jewels in Pensthorpe’s crown. From… Read more »

Pensthorpe is hosting a week of events in September to celebrate its much-loved Millennium Garden, created by award-winning designer Piet Oudolf. The 700-acre nature reserve on the outskirts of Fakenham is home to five stunning gardens, but this September, the Millennium Garden is marking its 25th anniversary. This milestone will be celebrated, with a week… Read more »

July seems to have whizzed by, with heatwaves & heavy rain all added in. A big focus during the summer months is controlling invasive & dominant plants & our amazing volunteer team, with help from two Corporate Teams, have been hard at work with removal. Himalayan Balsam and Monkey Flower are two invasive species, originally… Read more »

This month we have had scorching sunshine to heavy thunderstorms, more the first than the latter. In this hot weather the insect population is thriving, especially for Aphids and Flies. Swallows are nesting and feeding their chicks on all these flying invertebrates, look in the hides to see their nests, but please be careful not… Read more »

Norfolk favourite Alan Partridge has added another jewel to his crown, by creating a garden for the RHS Hampton Court Palace, which will then be relocated to Pensthorpe. Alan Partridge, played by Steve Coogan, designed The Alan Partridge Sound Bath Garden in collaboration with Norfolk-based design company Carey Garden Design Studio. The design showcases the… Read more »

If you go down to the Wildflower Meadow you should see the work of the Reserve volunteers and staff. Over the last few weeks, the team has worked hard replacing two long sections of boardwalk, including supporting timbers and tread boards. The boardwalk is a definite place to visit and the perfect platform to observe… Read more »

From historic use as livestock barriers, to becoming wildlife corridors, hedgerows are important features in the farmed landscape, including here at Pensthorpe, where over three miles of hedgerows criss-cross the site. In the one thousand plus years that hedgerows have been a part of the British countryside, wildlife has utilised them and they have become… Read more »

Volunteers Week is a chance to say thank you to our amazing group of volunteers for their hard work and dedication across the UK. This year, Volunteers Week takes place from 3rd to 9th June 2024 Here at Pensthorpe, we have a flock of volunteers who help to make Pensthorpe the place it is. They… Read more »

Pensthorpe’s senior warden, David Robertson, has been keeping an eye on the woodland and has reported signs of the bluebells starting to bloom for the 2024 season. He estimates that in two weeks’ time, the woodlands will be in full bloom. Once the bluebells are in full bloom, they offer a captivating experience for nature… Read more »