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Open gardens for the NGS

 

Although the weather was cool and cloudy today, we visited Sandywell barn House in Whittington, which was open as part of the National garden Scheme (NGS). There are over 3700 gardens in the UK which open for one or more days a year to raise money for charity. Most of them are privately owned and a labour of love ~ and it shows. Sandywell was a lovely garden, the work of a lovely ‘plantaholic’ designer lady and her husband. The garden was set in 2.5 acres and totally walled in with some brick wall and some old Cotswold stone. Their lovely house was converted from an old cow shed but is now really settled in the landscape near to the beautiful Sandywell Manor House, which itself is now apartments.

Originally the money raised all went to Nursing charities. Today there are many medical charities supported including; Macmillan Cancer Relief, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Help the Hospices and Crossroads Caring for Carers.

NGS gives away more than £2.5 million each year to nursing, caring and gardening charities and over the last 15 years they have given more than £25 million in total. Most of the work is done by volunteers so the charity’s overheads are small. Consequently more than 80p in every pound raised goes directly to the charities. A wonderful result I think.

As I said the weather was not brilliant and I am not a great nature photographer but I will let me photos show you some of the highlights of this gorgeous garden.

Open garden

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