National Open Garden Scheme: Find out what it is and how you can get involved

The National Open Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to more than 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Guernsey, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake.

This year the scheme has partnered with Crocus, it aims to cross-pollinate interest in Crocus and its free gardening app – Iris – while helping to raise awareness of the inspirational gardens that open for the scheme which raise millions of pounds each year for charity.

Crocus aims to promoting the gardens taking part across its free gardening app Iris through a searchable garden finder, as well as a top selection on their website. When visiting a National Garden Scheme garden, you can use Iris to help identify plants, share photos and tag plants you’ve discovered from the day and ask additional questions of the Crocus Plant Doctor or app community.

George Plumptre, National Garden Scheme chief executive, said: “Our community of over 3,500 garden owners have an immense depth of gardening knowledge which they readily share with their visitors.

Through this new partnership we hope to support an even broader audience of garden lovers to make it easier for them to not only find their dream garden to visit but to learn how to bring their own garden to life by selecting the right plant for the right place.”

During the scheme NGS also holds special events, this year Charleston house is taking part. It is open on Friday, July 29 and you need to pre-book your ticket in advance.

The Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant moved to Charleston in 1916. They transformed the walled vegetable plot into a quintessential painters’ garden mixing Mediterranean influences with cottage garden planting.

The garden is full of surprises including a variety of sculpture, from classical forms to works by Quentin Bell, mosaics and tiled pools, an orchard and tranquil pond.

The event includes after-hours access to the garden and talk by head gardener, Harry Hoblyn about the history of the garden, how Bell and Grant used the garden to inspire their art, how they chose the plants, and how Harry maintains and develops the garden today. Admission is £12.50 for adults and children are free.

Originally set up in 1927 to support district nurses, the National Garden Scheme now raises millions of pounds for nursing and health charities each year.

Organisers said: “We also support charities doing amazing work in gardens and health, grant bursaries to help community gardening projects and support gardeners at the start of their career.

“In 2021, we donated over £3 million, and despite the challenges of the year, 90p in every £1 raised at the open gardens went straight to our beneficiaries. You can read about the charities we support below.”

Dame Mary Berry is the president of the National Garden Scheme and this year it announced that Radio DJ Jo Whiley was to become an ambassador.

Jo said: “I am so thrilled to have been asked. I knew about the National Garden Scheme but I had no idea how much money the gardens raise and give away to nursing charities every year.

"The garden owners are clearly so generous, I love the idea of them inviting people in to share their garden and have a lovely tea.

"The pandemic has shown me and everyone how important gardens are for our health and wellbeing and the National Garden Scheme has been doing this for years – it’s a great organisation.”

If you are unable to visit a garden in person the website also has a number of gardens you can visit virtually, all they ask is if you could make a donation.

The films were created during the lockdowns of 2020/21 and there are more than 190 gardens to choose from.

If you fancy opening your garden next week its friendly volunteers are on hand to help you through the process.

You can decide to open once a year, although many owners find twice a year is ideal, especially to show the garden in a different season.

Organisers said: “Some of our dedicated garden owners like to open in spring, summer and autumn. It’s completely up to you.

Whether your garden is big or small, if you think it has quality, character and interest, why not share your love of it whilst helping us raise vital funds.”

Simon Cain, garden owner, added: “Every bit of effort was worth it. Garden visitors are almost universally friendly, positive, funny, quirky and interesting.

"There was a wonderful mix of neighbours, locals, as well as visitors from all over the UK and abroad. We also had a number of people turn up who had lived in the property back in the 1940s who brought photos and letters relating to the house.

"The whole experience was just great and we raised just over £4,500. People were so generous with their support and their comments.”

This year the the National Garden Scheme announced it had distributed £189,617 of funding to 75 community garden projects across England and Wales.

In Sussex The Polytunnel Project was awarded £1,500.

The 2023 Community Gardens Award application process will begin in October with full details available on the National Garden Scheme website.