Lawn take centre stage in King’s Walk

The Garden at East Ruston Old Vicarage is a jewel in the Norfolk Gardening Crown. While the 20-acre gardens boast many rare and unusual plant varieties, the planting schemes are breathtaking and at every turn there are stunning vistas to enjoy.

One of the garden’s designers, Alan Gray, is a highly knowledgeable plantsman and a co-presenter of the Anglia Television ‘Take a Leaf’ series. 

Although lawns are an essential ingredient setting off many of the features at The Old Vicarage, he will openly admit that like many gardeners he and his team are more interested in creating and nurturing the planting schemes. 

Alan Gray is therefore happy to pass over the responsibility for lawn management to Great Grass. 

As in many gardens over an acre in size, some of the lawns at East Ruston are more important than others. 

Last year Great Grass took over the management of two key lawn areas – the South Lawn which leads into the Kings Walk, and the four symmetrical quadrants in raised beds, which help to set off the central circular pond in the walled garden, outside the old potting shed. 

Adjacent to the front of the house, the South Lawn plays a central feature providing the backdrop to the angular yew pyramids, while the King’s Walk leads to an attractive Pavilion and the Mediterranean Garden area. 

Elsewhere in the Garden there are areas of meadow and wild flowers as well as less-formal strips of grass near hedges that are intentionally less closely managed.

Situated just 1½ miles from the north east coast of Norfolk, near Happisburgh, the Old Vicarage soil is a light loam, similar to much of the Norwich and Wroxham areas. 

Despite its exposed position the garden benefits from the North Sea, which ameliorates the cold northerly and easterly winds.  This free draining soil type, combined with low rainfall and milder winters, enables many half-hardy plants to be grown here.   However, from the point of view of the lawn, this soil type is particularly challenging. 

Light loam soils are prone to compaction problems as well as to the build up of organic matter – thatch - on the surface.          East Ruston Old Vicarage opens its garden to the public and the associated wear and tear from foot traffic is considerable.

When soil becomes compacted, grass roots are starved of water and oxygen. The grass tends to die back resulting in areas of bare earth which often leads to secondary problems such as colonisation by weeds.  

Great Grass began working on the lawns in the autumn of 2002 and is implementing a year round management plan. 

We started with a programme of aeration, to help relieve the compaction, scarification to remove the thatch build up, weedkilling and fertilisation to help the grass weather the winter months.  

In early February we implemented a moss control programme and applied a spring fertiliser containing nitrogen and iron.  The iron killed the moss and the grass is now growing through. 

The dead moss and other organic matter will be removed in the autumn using a scarifier.

To ensure the lawns look their best throughout the season, we applied a commercial grade slow release feed in May, which will be repeated in July.

As to the mowing of the lawn, that is the responsibility of the East Ruston team of gardeners.  By the look of the straight classic stripes, created by the cylinder mower, this is an area of lawn management they need little help with!

To check the opening times for the Garden at East Ruston Old Vicarage visit

www.e-ruston-oldvicaragegardens.co.uk