As summer approaches, West Lexham estate is warming up, and there’s a palpable buzz in the air. The weather is perfect for a refreshing dip into our beautiful lake, surrounded by lush greenery and the tranquil sounds of nature, with birds and bees exploring and soaking up the sunshine.
Read on to discover what has been happening over the last few weeks, and what we have coming up in May!
A WELCOME FROM EDMUND
Founder of West Lexham
“It is now swimming season. While various brave souls go wild swimming in the lake throughout the winter, when May arrives the pool is heated and the lake starts to warm up, bringing the possibility of a freshwater dip to the fairer weather swimmer. I recommend a sunbathe on the lawn, then a dip in the lake under the cherry blossom of the shell house. You might glimpse the newly hatched ducklings.“
SUMMERTIME RETREATS AT WEST LEXHAM
from Mark, our General Manager
“Summertime and living are easy – not quite! But the feeling of ‘nature all around us’ is what really sets West Lexham apart. I have been lucky enough to work at many picturesque venues, but nowhere has a better balance with nature than West Lexham, this is what makes our Glamping, Treehouse or Retreat stays so special. There’s never a feeling of too many people, so where better to stay and enjoy all the joys of Summer without the crowd!”
WHO’S JOINING US AT WEST LEXHAM
from Tanya, our Head of Sales & Reservations
“As the Summer equinox approaches, we feel it. There is a rising energy in us that matches that of the outside world – if it hasn’t quite reached you, then try to get outside and catch some of it. Perhaps a retreat would be the way to kick off the Summer for you. We host lots of day retreats in our Orangery which has a beautiful view of our lake and all the nature around. You can pick out the sounds of the birds and bees and of life swinging into full flow. Bring on the Summer!“
WHAT’S GROWING AT WEST LEXHAM
from Lucy, Head Grower in The Growing Garden
“The kitchen garden is finally getting going after a long cold spring. Fingers crossed for no more frosts, especially as we bit the bullet yesterday and planted our greenhouse crops. We are already picking fresh salad leaves, and by the middle of June, we should be harvesting much more, including courgettes, early potatoes, chard, beetroot, and soft fruits. Our fruit cage was only planted last year but has grown so well that I can see we will have an amazing amount of fruit. We have blackcurrants, gooseberries, red/white currants, raspberries, and strawberries to look forward to, which will all be heading to the garden kitchen. We have also planted our cut flower spiral garden; this was so amazing last year, providing us with lovely fresh flowers, food, and habitat for the precious wildlife we share the garden with. Our birds, bees, ladybirds and all other insects and animals play a vital role in our garden’s success.
Get growing: Apart from tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines, It’s still not too late to get growing, so there is plenty of seed-sowing time left.
Tips for unwanted guests: There will always be some unhelpful guests like greenflies and whitefly; however, our diversity of good predators attracted by all the flowers usually take care of these. If you are struggling, you can purchase good predators online to get on top of any infestation. I use both ladybird larvae for the greenfly and intarsia for the whitefly.
Foraging this month: Wild garlic and Gorse flowers (edible and smell like coconut!).”
THIS MONTH’S TEAM SPOTLIGHT
Andrew, our Gardener
“I have recently started at West Lexham after working for my previous employer for 47 years, which started as a Market Gardener and diversified into public and commercial gardens based just outside Norwich. I live very locally in Swaffham and am enjoying the shorter commute! I love the environment here at West Lexham, where my skills are well-suited. My spare time is spent in nature, enjoying rollerskating and zipwires, and I love listening to Trance music!“
Experience nature in full bloom and spring-to-summer vibes at West Lexham. From wild swimming in our lake to enjoying freshly harvested produce at our Garden Kitchen Cafe, there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking for a getaway in nature this Summer, be sure to visit our What’s On page to book your stay at West Lexham. We can’t wait to welcome you to our little slice of paradise.
Lots of Love,
The West Lexham Team