A great day out, or a way to change lives? A visit to one of the National Gardens Scheme’s open gardens can be both. Happily the charity is providing an even greater number of opportunities to visit a local garden in 2024

Last year, the National Gardens Scheme changed many lives with an impressive £3.4m donated to many beneficiaries. It remains a great idea: proud gardeners are able to show off their green fingers, visitors enjoy a day out and gain some wonderful ideas for their own gardens, and some of Britain’s most important charities benefit from the proceeds of admissions, teas & coffees, cake and plant sales. 

In total there were 3,372 individual gardens opening to the public last year, and Rutland’s contribution to the NGS in 2023 was £38,000, with 80p in the pound going directly to good causes.

Macmillan, has benefitted from £20m during their 40 years as one of the NGS’s key charities. Last year Macmillan received £450,000 and the same amount was donated to Marie Curie and Hospice UK. Other beneficiaries include the The Queen’s Nursing Institute, The Carers’ Trust, and Parkinson’s UK as well as garden or natural history organisations and a number of community gardens across Britain.

For further details and directions to gardens see www.ngs.org.uk.

Sunday 5th May: Burrough Hall, Burrough on the Hill, LE14 2QZ Built in 1867 as a classic Leicestershire hunting lodge. The garden, framed by mature trees and shrubs, was extensively redesigned by garden designer George Carter in 2007, 2pm-5pm.

12th May: The Old Vicarage, Whissendine, Rutland LE15 7HG ⅔ acre garden, Terrace with topiary, a formal fountain courtyard and raised beds backed by gothic orangery. Herbaceous borders, tunnel of wisteria, Gothic hen house, new garden room, 2pm-5pm.

19th May: Fox Cottage, Ashwell, Rutland LE15 7LX Two acre country garden on the edge of the village.Walks through the wonderful ancient oaks and ash underplanted with spring bulbs and lawns surrounded by rampant cow parsley, 11.30am-4.30pm.

19th May: 83 Main Road, Collyweston, Stamford PE9 3PQ Wildlife friendly garden with many small trees, bushes and perennials. Spring bulbs and primroses. Gravel paths and stone steps give access to sloping site of ¼ acre, 12.30pm-7pm.

25th May: Greatford Mill, Greatford, Stamford PE9 4QA One acre village garden overlooking church and mill pond. Restored water wheel and open, unfenced mill pond. Traditional English country borders plus wildflowers and bonsai, 11am-4pm.

26th May:  The Old Vicarage, Burley, Rutland LE15 7SU Relaxed country garden, planted for year-round interest and colour. There are lawns and borders, a lime walk, rose gardens and a sunken rill garden, walled garden with fruit and herbs, 11am-5pm.

2nd/9th June: Ashcroft House, Tallington, Stamford PE9 4RG Beautiful compact garden with interest all year-round. Wrap around plot with ‘rooms;’ cottage garden traditionals, as well as bulbs and tropical specimens and mature trees, 11am-4pm.

16th June: 59 Thistleton Road, Market Overton, Rutland LE15 7PP 1.8 acres wildlife friendly garden full of colour and variety. Kitchen garden, rose pergola, large pond, wildflower meadow, a small arboretum, large perennial borders a riot of colour, 12noon-5pm.

23rd June: Wing Gardens, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8SA Two very different gardens: Townsend House is a cottage garden full of roses and herbaceous borders; Sol House is a contemporary garden surrounding a PassivHaus with mixed borders, 2pm-6pm.

29th/30th June: Home Farm, Little Casterton Road, PE9 4HA More than 100 roses, inc many old English fragrant varieties, lavender avenues and herbaceous borders with delphiniums fill the formal part of this nine acre garden, 2pm-5pm. 

3rd July: The Old Hall, Market Overton, Rutland LE15 7PL Stone walls and yew hedges divide the garden into enclosed areas with herbaceous borders, shrubs, and trees, Japanese Tea House added 2020. NB: Booking essential, 5.30pm-8.30pm.

13th/14th July: 21 Chapel Street, Haconby, Bourne PE10 0UL Cottage garden with a wide range of hardy and tender plants within borders and pot displays. The extended garden includes a grass area surrounded by woodland plus beds and meadow, 11am-4pm.