The Gardens

Priory Maze has one of the most natural enchanting gardens and mazes in Norfolk.

Introduction
The main stream and pond area was created about 8 years ago, but the rest of the garden has been created from cleared jungle and woodland over the last 3 years. By using mature plants, such as Tasmanian tree ferns and lime tolerant Rhododendrons, which are in turn supported by an incredibly fertile soil, the effect looks very well established.

Our new meadow stream garden is attracting a lot of lovely comments, and which helps make all our endeavours worthwhile. We are continuing to enlarge our winter walk, so that we can provide more year round interest and with the vibrant autumn colour in the meadow stream garden we will be opening more days out of season.

Wildlife.
The natural feel of the gardens, and the diverse plant habitat it provides, in turn creates a perfect habitat for a wide range of mammals, birds, and insects. We have resident pheasants, woodcock, snipe, kingfisher and goldcrests, along with many other regulars. We have also recently seen waxwings, firecrest, crossbills and tree creepers. The wildflower meadow provides habitat for countless moths and and other insects during mid summer, and in the early summer, we have bee orchids and the common marsh orchid in abundance.

Wild Flower Meadow.
The meadow and banks give a summer long display of colour. The early camassias followed by cowslips, gradually build up to its peak in mid July, when the bank is in full splendour. The new bank will provide some colour this year and will be a good position to overlook the large pond and the Beeston bump (cliff) in the distance.

Ponds and Streams.
We have a unique advantage in what is predominately a sandy soil area, in that we have constant running water throughout the garden. The several small waterfalls and weirs provide that essential sound of water needed to complete any garden. The masses of arum lilies along the length of the stream provides a spectacular display from Easter to mid-July. With the various willows, massive gunnera and other waterside plants, there is season round interest. The two ponds provide the further tranquillity of larger expanses of water.

Herb and Aromatic gardens.
These two separate gardens provide the opportunity to see herbs in another form other than on the spice rack. A lot of herbs are worthy of border planting in their own right. The aromatic garden, and its new extension will give you pleasant and sometimes not so pleasant aromas.