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Rougham Estate in Bloom continues into Week 2, where we turn our attention to one of the Estate’s quietest but most vital forces: the honey bee.

Dotted across the Estate are around 48 colonies of honeybees, working steadily through the seasons to support pollination across the wider landscape. Over the last 6–7 years, the number of hives has gradually grown, playing an increasingly important role in the health of wildflowers, crops and hedgerows across the Estate.

At this time of year, the first honey crop is typically taken after the oilseed rape has finished flowering in late spring, with bees also foraging on blossom from sycamore, blackthorn, horse chestnut, damson and hawthorn. A second, main crop follows in late summer, influenced by plants such as blackberry, sweet chestnut and the Estate’s own pollinator strips, rich with borage, phacelia and sunflowers.

The result is a honey that changes with the season and the weather, from light and set, perfect for toast, to deeper, more complex flavours that reflect a summer’s foraging across the Estate. No two years are ever quite the same, shaped entirely by nature’s conditions.

It’s a reminder that honey is never just one thing, but a reflection of the landscape itself, and the delicate balance of weather, plants and pollinators working together.

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One of the quiet highlights of Rougham Estate in Bloom has to be the Sunken Garden, now flourishing more beautifully than ever since it was established.

Many of you may have seen how the space has gradually changed and evolved over the years, growing season by season into the beautiful garden it is today.

Now filled with colour, texture and movement, it has become a wonderful place to pause and enjoy the season, while also supporting insects, pollinators and biodiversity.

At this time of year especially, the garden feels full of life and a perfect reflection of what Rougham Estate in Bloom is all about.

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To mark the spirit of the Chelsea Flower Show, Rougham Estate is celebrating its own seasonal showcase: Rougham Estate in Bloom.

Across the Estate, nature is quietly doing what it does best, every year.

From the gentle hum of the hives and the sweep of wildflower fields to the rhythm of farming, pondlife and the smallest insects at work, it all comes together in one living, interconnected landscape. Every corner has its part to play, and at this time of year it is all beautifully visible.

Rougham Estate in Bloom is a chance to pause and take it in properly, to celebrate biodiversity in motion and how all these natural systems underpin the Estate.

Alongside this, there will also be a couple of events capturing the detail and wonder of it all. Keep your eyes peeled!

Week one celebrates Flowers, coinciding with the Chelsea Flower Show, with beautiful displays across the Estate - and in our foyer!

Week two turns its attention to Minibeasts, celebrating the bees, insects and tiny creatures working quietly across the Estate’s wildflowers, hedgerows and ponds.

Week three focuses on Farm & Conservation, exploring the relationship between farming, wildlife, hedgerows and wildflower meadows, and how conservation sits at the heart of the Estate.

Week four looks at Wildlife & Trees, from deer moving through the woodland and birdsong across the Estate to the traditional tree coppicing that helps create vital habitats for wildlife.

A reminder that everything here is beautifully connected, and at this moment in the season, everything is quietly in bloom.

#roughamestate #roughamestateinbloom #chelseaflowershow #biodiversity #wildlifeuk ...