Ickworth House

Ickworth House is a Georgian Italianate palace with an impressive rotunda, which is situated just a few miles away from Bury St Edmunds amongst idyllic Suffolk countryside. It is owned by the National Trust and is well worth a visit. We stopped off here as we were passing through Bury St Edmunds, just planning to grab a bit of lunch and have a quick browse around the gardens. Things don't always go as planned though - sometimes if your lucky in a good way - it was just so beautiful here we stayed all afternoon! 

There are 70 acres of gardens to explore from pleasure grounds, informal woodland walks, a walled garden, Italianate garden to a Victorian stumpery. This is definitely a place to keep coming back to through all seasons, but these are some of the plants and views you may find if you visit during June. 

A cloud of gypsophilia spilling over a beautiful swathe of geraniums. 

The bees were out in force as the geraniums spread on and on throughout the borders creating beautiful hues of blue. 

There is a lake at the bottom of the walled garden, where yellow flag irises were out and waterlilies were out in force and about to bloom. Who needs to sit staring at Monet pictures? Just come here! 

A tortoiseshell butterfly enjoying the valerian. 

The pale globes of allium reach out and stand high above tbe catmint. 

Little clumps of centaurea montana spring up here and there. These cornflowers always remind me of childhood. I can remember being with my mum when I was little and we took some cuttings from a cottage garden to plant in our front garden. It always makes me remember the house I was born in and spent my early years in! 

The borders of the Italianate garden were covered in catmint, its aromatic grey leaves and lavender blooms creating a haven for the butterflies and bees. 

A cabbage white drinking up the nectar in the catmint. 

There were several wild meadow areas which were full of ox eye daisies, creating a mist of white amongst the grasses. I love a wildflower meadow. 

An unusual specimen of tree funghi growing! 

The Italianate gardens.

There is an enormous walled garden area, which has been planted full of wildflowers and also has allotment areas within it too. These had all just been seeded and planted up in May, so have yet to come. I could visualise that these will look fabulous in high summer and early autumn. That is my excuse to be returning soon I hope and then there is the house to explore... well maybe in winter...although I think this place might be pretty stunning in spring too! I think I will be back. 

The Amazing RSPB Minsmere

If you are a fan of the BBC's Springwatch, then you will have been watching the programme recently when it was broadcast from RSPB Minsmere. We went to visit Minsmere on a glorious day while the filming was going on and it is an amazing place. It is set off the beaten track on the Suffolk coast and just the drive down to it from the main road is very beautiful as you meander through farmland and pass meadows and hedgerows full of bloom. There are stunning walks through varied scenery - pathways take you through heathlands, woodlands, marshlands and down to the beach and coast. If you love nature and wildlife it is a feast for your eyes wherever you look! 

A grebe enjoying a quiet swim on a tranquil pond hidden amongst the grasses. 

Pheasants wander around freely and you can hear them calling as they walk around. 

You will spot common bird's foot along the walkways out towards the coast. 

Pretty little daisies - remember making those daisy chains! 

Bright yellow flag irises kept popping up in the marshlands giving a bit of sunshine to the greenery. 

There is a lovely area of sand cliffes and I was completely mesmerised here as flocks of sandmartins kept sweeping to and from their nests. You can see the holes in the cliff were they were nesting and feeding their young, but unfortunately, although there were so many, they were so swift and quick I couldn't capture them on camera! 

White clover enjoying the sun.

There were beautiful views over Dunwich Heath and out to sea as we reached the coast. A whole flock of seagulls were ducking and diving around the fishing boat.

One of the ever elusive reed warblers flitting between reeds and the shrubbery. 

As you reach the coastal area, you enter the National Trust's Dunwich Heath, which takes you down to the beach and sea. 

The beach is a neverending stretch of sand, shingle and grasses. A lovely quiet place to enjoy a picnic half way around one of the main pathways on the reserve. 

A handmade scupture down by the beach, made from plastic debris washed up by the sea. 

A pretty view across the heath. 

The starry little flowers of stonecrop sedum pop up everywhere on the barren heath, spreading over rocks and stones and walls. 

A stunning view across the marshlands from one of the bird hides. The pools are teeming with birds. 

Common cat's ear mingles with the grassland. 

Honeysuckle growing in the wild by one of the pathways. 

We spotted a pair of these unusual buff tip moths. They resemble broken twigs when they are resting and they enjoy feeding on trees and shrubs. 

Sleepy seagulls! 

A lonesome sparrow having a good old sing song. 

Highland cattle graze the land in summer to help encourage lapwings in spring and prevent expansion of scrublands. 

Konik ponies also graze the land, renowned for their hardiness in wetlands, they help keep the boundary between the open water areas and the reed beds, preventing expansion of the reeds. 

Ducks and ducklings enjoying the sunshine and the water.

Wild dog roses tangled in the hedgerows.

Little inlets of water appear everywhere as walked through the marshes and reeds. 

I was really pleased to spot this beautiful marsh orchid. Marsh orchids grow on fens, marshy areas and wet meadows. This one was just on the edge of the wet grassland areas we walked through. 

More fabulous views of the pools. 

A visit to RSPB Minsmere is a stunning day out. I'm sure we will be back soon as we walked for miles and we still didn't see everything or finish exploring all the pathways. It is a place to visit over and over again and during different seasons of the year.