Suffolk Plant Heritage Plant Fair at  Helmingham Hall

24th & 25th May 2026

More details in due course.

Plant Heritage Autumn Plant Fair and Artisan Market

It’s the 25th Anniversary Plant Fair at Helmingham Hall!

Sunday 14th September:  10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF. Entrance: Adults £10 (£9.00 in advance) – Children: Free (includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).

• 800 free plants for visitors distributed during the day
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities

Tickets for the Autumn Plant Fair can be purchased in advance from the Helmingham Hall web site or on the gate on the day. 

Thymus × citriodorus ‘Lime’, commonly known as Lime Thyme, is a fragrant evergreen perennial herb prized for its distinctive citrus aroma and vibrant foliage. A hybrid within the mint family (Lamiaceae), it’s thought to have originated from crosses between common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and lemon thyme (Thymus pulegioides), combining the culinary versatility of thyme with a refreshing lime scent. Its compact growth habit and ornamental appeal make it equally at home in herb gardens, ornamental borders, or container displays.

This variety typically forms a low, spreading mat of small, oval, lime-green leaves, reaching around 6-12″ (15–30 cm) in height with a spread of 9-12″ (25–30 cm). In summer, it produces clusters of tiny pink flowers that attract bees and other pollinators, adding ecological value to its aesthetic charm. The foliage releases its citrusy fragrance when brushed or crushed, making it a delightful choice for planting near paths, patios, or seating areas.

Cultivation is straightforward, provided its Mediterranean origins are respected. Lime Thyme thrives in full sun, ideally with at least six hours of direct light daily, and prefers light, well-drained soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. It tolerates poor soils, heat, and drought once established, but suffers in waterlogged conditions, so amending heavy clay with grit or sand is recommended. Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry between watering, and avoid over-fertilising, which can reduce flavour intensity. Regular pruning in spring and after flowering helps maintain a dense, bushy habit and prolongs the plant’s productive life.

In the kitchen, Thymus × citriodorus ‘Lime’ offers a zesty twist on traditional thyme, pairing beautifully with fish, poultry, salads, and herbal teas. Harvest sprigs as needed, ideally just before flowering for peak flavour, and dry or freeze for later use.

Suffolk Plant Heritage gives away a free plant, bulb or seeds at our plant fairs as part of its active conservation work. Anyone in Suffolk can grow little known but worthwhile garden plants and help secure their survival for the future. Wide distribution of a plant is the best form of conservation.Suffolk Plant Heritage runs plant propagation workshops and sells unusual plants at various events.

 Plant Heritage Spring Plant Fair and Artisan Market

Sunday 25th  & Monday 26th May:  10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF.

Entrance: Adults £12 (£10.00 in advance) – Children under 15: Free (includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).

• Free plant for 800 visitors distributed during the two days
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities

Tickets for the Spring Plant Fair can be purchased in advance from the Helmingham Hall web site or on the gate on the day. 

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ is a popular montbretia variety known for its vibrant red flowers and attractive, arching foliage. It’s a show-stopping perennial that blooms from late summer into autumn, offering a bold display of colour and attracting pollinators.

A cormous, herbaceous perennial with a robust and very upright growing habit up to 5′ (1.6m) tall when in flower. It has mid-green, pleated blade-like leaves and arching deep red flower stems bearing glowing orange, tubular flowers that have a paler orange throat, from mid to late summer. It is an impactful and reliable flowerer that can grow in shade or dry conditions.

Corms should be planted in moderately fertile, humus rich soil approximately 4″ (10cm) deep and 3-4″ (7.5–10cm) apart in groups to form clumps. Water if it is a dry season as a lack of water reduces flowering.

Propagate by division in early spring when clumps become congested or by seed sown in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe.

Planting locations include: cottage and informal garden, coastal, flower borders and beds.

Suffolk Plant Heritage gives away a free plant, bulb or seeds at our plant fairs as part of its active conservation work. Anyone in Suffolk can grow little known but worthwhile garden plants and help secure their survival for the future. Wide distribution of a plant is the best form of conservation.Suffolk Plant Heritage runs plant propagation workshops and sells unusual plants at various events.

Native to western North America in large areas of southern Canada and the northwestern United States, Camissia quamash is Ideally suited to naturalised planting schemes including wildflower meadows or grassland where the soils are reliably moist (but not waterlogged).  It will also make a handsome addition to the herbaceous border, where its bright blue flowers and greyish green leaves will add colour and structure in late spring and early summer.

Position in full sun or partial shade in moist but well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil.

 Plant Heritage Autumn Plant Fair and Artisan Market

Sunday 15th September:  10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF. Entrance: Adults £10 (£9.00 in advance) – Children: Free (includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).

• Free plant for 800 visitors distributed during the day
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities

Tickets for the Autumn Plant Fair can be purchased in advance from the Helmingham Hall web site or on the gate on the day. 

 Plant Heritage Spring Plant Fair and Artisan Market

Sunday 26th  & Monday 27th May:  10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF. Entrance: Adults £10 (£9.00 in advance) – Children: Free (includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).

• Free plant for 800 visitors distributed during the day
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities

Tickets for the Spring Plant Fair can be purchased in advance from the Helmingham Hall web site or on the gate on the day. 

This little known geranium was discovered in the garden of Rod Leeds in Suffolk by Elizabeth Strangman and Graham Gough during a visit in 1986. The geranium was a self sown seedling. By 1996 it was in the Washfield catalogue. It was given the following description:

‘Geranium ‘Rod Leeds’ is an excellent plant of rather upright habit. Magenta pink flowers over a particularly long season.’

Propagate by cuttings from new growth in early spring.

Suffolk Plant Heritage gives away a free plant, bulb or seeds at our plant fairs as part of its active conservation work. Anyone in Suffolk can grow little known but worthwhile garden plants and help secure their survival for the future. Wide distribution of a plant is the best form of conservation.Suffolk Plant Heritage runs plant propagation workshops and sells unusual plants at various events.

A dwarf bulbous perennial, to 30cm tall, with lance-shaped grey-green leaves. Flowers are multi-flowering, bronze-yellow with orange flares, and appear in mid spring.  Plant 10 to 15cm deep in fertile, well-drained soil, with protection from excessive wet and shelter from strong winds.