BRESSINGHAM GARDENS - A mecca for lovers of herbaceous perennials

Thanks for that, great pics.
This is on my list of places yet still to visit.

Thank you for this lovely blog in such depressing weather. It has made my snowy headache much lighter lol. - although I must say we have hardly any snow here, but it is bitterly cold and miserable.
I shall have another look later again, and maybe yet another look later still lol :o))

Wonderful place - we took our two there as children years ago and they, naturally, were more interested in the steam train than the gardens!

I had the pleasure of meeting Alan Bloom - very briefly - but the gardens! Magnificent then, and obviously now, as well. Lovely photos . :-)))

He was ahead of his time where the creation of 'island beds' was concerned, wasn't he?

There must be a whole industry based on his name now - I often see plant labelled 'Blooms of Bressingham' at the Garden Centres.

Thanks for the memories - I'd love to go back there.

Just added an old photo I took of Alan Bloom over twenty years ago, on one of his beloved steam trains.
Barbara, I think he was almost entirely responsible for re-popularising the use of perennials in gardens during the fifties

Oh yes - I remember now! It was on the steam train that I met him!

Thanks, BS. Even better to bring back the memories of 'The Dell'. The 50s? Yes, probably, but thinking of the age of our two, it would have been the mid to late 70s when we went there.

I shall ask them if they remember the trip there!

In the early '80's we lived in Sheffield for a short while and, for some reasone, we took a 'mystery' bus tour one day. The destination of the tour was Bressingham and I can still rememberthe marvelous gardens to this day.
I didn't hear that Alan Bloom had died a few years ago but I suppose that, at 98, he was allowed to.

Thanks for the blog and photos loved to read and look at photos.

What a lovely blog. Enough to cheer anyone up on a cold snowy, icy day, holed up indoors.
I have visited Bressingham years ago, and it was and is wonderful, and doesn't his son Adrian still keep everything up, and was in partnership with his Dad? Allan deserved far more accolades than he received as he surely was a trend setter, and a truly creative gardener and plant breeder.
Thanks BS for a timely reminder and a colourful treat.

As far as I know the Dell Garden is held in trust, The Bressingham Plant Centre was sold to Wyevales some years ago. I think Adrian Bloom still operates his own garden (Foggy Bottom) and runs a small wholesale nursery separately.

Lovely blog, I enjoyed it very much.

Beautiful gardens and photos BS. I have a Clematis Alan Bloom which means more to me now :-)

Thanks, Bluespruce, for the information.
Lovely blog and beautiful pictures...

What beautiful gardens and great to see the man himself, i think it was about 20 odd years ago that i first knew of his name :-))))))

This next comment isn't meant to be dismissive or offhand but the minute i saw the picture of Alan (last picture) he reminded me of that character from the old comedy series "On The Buses" .... was his name Stan ?? Don't really remember :-/

I dont mean to be rude either Louise, but i know the character - Stan's mate Jack.

Not really the sort of comments I was hoping for girls, when I posted the blog :0)))

He must have had a traumatic experience at a barber's shop.

Now it's just getting silly, you're mocking one of the greatest plantsman this country has ever produced.

Sorry Bluespruce, no offence meant. I used to like the Bressingham plant centre when it was at Dorney Wood - Diss is just too far!

It's ok Wagger, slight over reaction on my part I think.
Have a good Christmas and all the best for 2010.

Thanks for explaining about the 'Bloom's of Bressingham' labels on plants. I learn something new every day!

Beautiful photos...Bluespruce, I've been wanting to visit Bressingham for a long time. thank you for showing us round, it's a definite place to visit this year...and another excuse to travel to Norfolk again...:o) I love the thatched Norfolk folly made of cobble and brick, I'd like a smaller one in my garden!!

In my opinion it's one of those gardens that's a must see before you die....If you'll forgive my terminology Janey. :0)

Ha...ha....yes I know what you mean Bluespruce, and I know of someone who takes a pilgrimage there every year........I can see it could become very addictive!..Lol

I've been going on a regular basis for over twenty years, and of course there is also Adrian Blooms garden Foggy Bottom, which was the main reason I became interested in Bressingham....addictive...yes! especially for perennial lovers.

A definite then this spring....would also like to see Adrian's Foggy Bottom....er...well you know what I mean Lol! That must be because of the steam train?

I know what you mean Janey xx

Wonderful tour and so nice to hear of it's history and the gentleman who created it..lovely...

Just read a piece about Bill Archer Blue......before his career as a botanist began, he worked for a brewery in Foggy Bottom, Washington DC.

Sounds like a different Bill Archer then

Does it? Just thought there may be a connection with Foggy Bottom here. I suppose William Archer isn't such an uncommon name, so you don't think your conifer bloke and this one aren't the same?

Bit of a slight coincidence with the name Foggy Bottom, which as you probably know is the name of Adrian Bloom's garden at Bressingham. I read somewhere that he first came across the name in the US. But the Bill Archer I know of, was definitely English and not a botanist, just a plant collector, especially conifers......You're up and around early Jane..:0)

I am Steve, an early bird, yes that's why I posted the comment on here, its a district of Washington. I see you're back to Bluespruce again.....why don't you give us a treat and post a pic of your visage?? X Very attractive bluespruce though I hasten to add.Lol!

I'm too modest Jane, and not sure I could cope with all the additional attention it would create from all the lovely women on this site..;0))))

Now why don't you let us be the judge of that...Lol! Just imagine if there was no response at all....Lol!

I'd be devastated Jane.....If you want to see me, you're just have to come down and visit ...;0)))

I'd love to see you AND Foxhollow - you'll have to have an open day! Hint, hint.

I'd like to visit your garden sometime as well Barbara....we do have the occasional open day here...and peeps can also visit by appointment if they want....:0)

You'd be very welcome....we'll have to think further on this! :-))

So he will Barbara, I should have to take a pilgrimage from where I am...lol! Unless of course we have a holiday in Dorset....and just happen to pop by...I wonder why no-one wants to see my garden....Lol!!

So he will Barbara, I should have to take a pilgrimage from where I am...lol! Unless of course we have a holiday in Dorset....and just happen to pop by...I wonder why no-one wants to see my garden....Lol!!

Can you see the Humber Bridge from your garden Jane....just trying to get an idea where you are ..?

Crikey 2 messages sent........no Blue, but we've just been over it, about 10mins away......very misty and murky today and such a low tide that there were huge sandbanks showing. The Humber Bridge is amazing on a sunny day.....I did a blog I think with some pics in the Autumn..........:o)
No, just some pics in my photo gallery.........

To late!.. just been through all your blogs looking for it

We used to cross that bridge so often - our daughter was doing her 2nd degree and Post-grad. at Hull University, so she was there for 4 years. It's an amazing structure! Quite a while ago now, though.

It is Barbara.......the view down the estuary and up towards the 3 rivers on a clear day is wonderful, we used to live by the Trent bank..more west than we are now and the tankers would come up the Humber, and down the Trent to offload further upriver..........when coming home I could see our house with these huge ships sailing by in the background and hills beyond....it looked so weird!

Sorry Blue, actually I have a lot of pics that I didn't post, shall put some on a blog for you....:o)

the humber estuary is fantastic. I commented on your blog janey that my hubby is the skipper of the square rigged Humber keel and i can make him out on the photo. I can see the red warning lights of the towers from our village on the north bank. again only about 10 mins from the bridge.

I had missed this blog earlier Bluespruce. I would love to go and see it. Alan Blooms death was such a sad event. I have clematis 'alan bloom' too.

I've just been telling my hubby Sbg...that is incredible.....I took that pic while we were driving over the bridge last summer, I love river craft especially with sails. Is is a working boat it looks like it probably is........:o)