National Garden Scheme Our Long Service Stars

The National Garden Scheme inspires impressive dedication amongst its garden owners, many of whom support this much-loved charity by opening for decades.

“Kindly persuasion from the village prompted my inclusion in the wonderful NGS cause 40 years ago,” confesses Lily Hope-Frost, ebullient owner of Avon Dassett’s The Old Rectory, a Georgian dwelling with medieval origins.

After removing hundreds of tons of earth, a new courtyard, wall and stone steps created a link to the top lawns, all on a steep hill with the church offering a pleasing backdrop, followed by a Haddonstone pond with fountain, and new gate “made by a very elderly local blacksmith, copied from an eighteenth century gate from an historic mansion I was involved in selling as an estate agent”.

“Taking entrance money and serving at my antiques table had to give if, as I always pride myself in doing, I was to greet everyone who came through the gate. Our only accident in 40 years was when two very rotund ladies plonked themselves on the Lutyens bench and went right through the seat in unison!” July will mark a poignant final NGS opening “…but it’s time to throw in the trowel and thankfully my lovely husband Billy agrees!”

“I’d often visited NGS gardens but never imagined I would be joining as a garden owner,” confesses Jenny Handscombe of Warmington’s 16^th century Springfield House, historically the first inn behind Edgehill’s lines and used, more than likely, by Royalist officers.

Shortly before retiring from a career in local government and the NHS, Jenny was invited to take part by the village organiser. “I said yes!... and my garden journey began in earnest. Early on, my husband Roger and I received lots of visitors with Warmington memories as Coventry evacuees during the war, and 2026 will be our 20^th NGS year.”

Underwater streams nourish the abundant vegetation, and wild strawberries offer charming summertime ground cover. “Every year, the snowdrop drifts cover our upper terraces, and hellebore, always great self-seeders, are always a welcome sign of Spring.”

Maxstoke Castle this year celebrates its 50^th NGS opening, with family participation enhancing its picturesque garden down the generations. “Maxstoke has been the private home of my family for over 400 years; it is really a fortified manor house built in the 14th century but of a size which does not lend itself readily to being open to the public. My grandmother set out the garden in more formal terms than the changes progressively adopted by my “green fingers” mother who created the parterres in 2000,” says present owner George Fetherston-Dilke. “We have been blessed to have a succession of long serving gardeners – we manage with a single gardener and some good machinery!”

“My parents always comment on the way in which visitors slow down their pace to relax and enjoy the garden and the house which it surrounds. Such a welcome relief in this busy world.” 

For more details, please visit ngs.org.uk.

Words and Images © Lily Farrah