Rambling Nan

One of the biggest joys of retirement is being able to spend more quality time with friends exploring the rich variety of scenery and attractions on our doorstep. That was definitely the case when I introduced T to the sheer delight that is Porters Lodge Garden in Cavenham – a mere stones throw from home.

I’ve been to Porters Lodge a few times – I wouldn’t class myself as a regular, but I am definitely an enthusiast. This would be T’s first time and I couldn’t wait to see her reaction.

We chose a day in April to take our trip and as luck would have it, the weather couldn’t have been kinder. It was pleasantly warm and the forecasted showers didn’t arrive. (We’re into May now, and they still haven’t arrived!)

Porters Lodge is about a 30 minute drive from our village, through some beautiful Suffolk Countryside. We chose to take the scenic route, avoiding the increasingly busy roundabout at Barton Mills. Gorse and blackthorn were blooming in the hedgerows and we spotted a few lambs relaxing with their mums on some fenced heathland which I believe is an SSSI.

Arriving at Porters Lodge we found a spot in the adjacent car park which sits at the edge of a mature woodland. One knarly old tree looked as though it had its arms thrown wide to tell us a story.

The garden gate led us into a beautifully landscaped courtyard garden with a lovely tea room offering plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors. As it was mid morning we opted to treat ourselves to coffee and cake before exploring the garden. And what a treat it was! Home made goodies served on beautiful china crockery in a warm and welcoming building adorned with the work of local artists.

Suitably refreshed, we paid the £5 entry fee and made our way towards the main attraction.

Now, this is the part of the blog where I could go into great detail about the garden, but I’m not going to do that. There are so many surprises in this space that I want you to discover it for yourself. And that’s exactly the way I introduced it to T. 

Everywhere you look at Porters Lodge there is something too ooo aaahhh or marvel at. Whether it’s a huge magnolia tree in full bloom, a swathe of groundcover planting or a piece of art. And everytime you go there’s something different to see. The team here have definitely mastered the arts of successional planting and of layering trees shrubs and perennials to create an immersive experience.

Structures in the garden are at once unique and inspirational and the layout is such that they are all hidden from each other. You may be able to catch a glimpse of one of the features through a gap in the planting, or perhaps hear the tinkle of moving water or even spot the beginning of a path to who knows where and that’s what keeps the intrigue alive.

I loved following T as she made her own way through the garden, stopping here to take a closer look at a plant or there to sit a while and just ‘be’. I’m so glad that my pal loves the place as much as I do.

We were lucky too to bump into the lady who looks after the gardens and who was only too happy to identify the plants we didn’t recognise and to share with us her passion for all things iris. I hope we meet again sometime.

The only thing I dislike about Porters Lodge is that I can’t stay there forever. But we did prolong our visit with another cup of tea and vowed to return as soon as we possibly can.

Here’s the link to discover more about this magical garden