Floreat 2026! A Promise of Blooms…

With our garden gates closed for winter, Warwickshire NGS County Organiser Liz Watson has confirmed a healthy 2025 total of £75,000 raised by 11,350 visitors for NGS nursing and gardening beneficiaries.

Dedicated garden owners are already planning for 2026. An experienced NGS opener for 14 years in London’s Muswell Hill, Ian Roberts and family, relocated to Lillington where their first local June opening saw 207 visitors venture into his Flowers, Fruit and Fragrance-themed garden where roses abound.

“We have Blue for You, Claire Austin, Desdemona, Gabriel Oak, Elizabeth, plus fragrant climbers including Shropshire Lad,” says Ian who particularly appreciates his Wollemi pine and Chilean Lantern tree. “We enjoyed it, there was a really nice atmosphere. Our plant sale included lots of little acers, and I baked carrot cake for afternoon tea. It’s exciting that fellow owner Steve Bell and I will be joined by a third Lillington garden in 2026.”

At Butler’s Marston, Monksbridge’s spectacular 14 acres are under the care of estate manager/head gardener Christopher Dunn. “We had great conversations with many lovely people. One gentleman mentioned very apologetically that he’d spotted a thistle, and we met lovely ex-residents of the village who’d played here as kids and were in tears at how the gardens had developed. They loved what we had done.” 2026 will bring a greater choice of plants for sale, with increased ‘resting stations’ within these acres which Christopher has redesigned and project-managed over the last 11 years, “…helping the owners take a dilapidated estate and turn it into something remarkable”.

Domestic abuse survivor Tarryn Henson of Tysoe speaks warmly of NGS support in opening her Safe Haven garden in 2025. “It’s really blown our minds,” she comments. “Last year, NGS garden-opener and ceramicist Penny Varley came by for some seeds, saw my garden and said, “Oh my goodness Tarryn!! why don’t you open for the National Garden Scheme?” My answer to her then was “What’s that?!” Opening has changed my life, and it’s given me a purpose.”

With the tireless support of son Alex and the NGS Assistant County Organiser, Tarryn found Open Day an uplifting experience with its steady stream of appreciative visitors. 2026 will showcase an abundance of traditional cottage blooms – each with seedlings available in her plant sales – to be enjoyed at the twice monthly April-September openings when the £5 entry fee will include a cup of tea or coffee and slice of cake. “The greenhouses are already full in readiness for next year. We’re over the moon, we’ve so many plans for 2026! We just can’t wait!"

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Opening for the NGS has been part of Tarryn’s recovery to renewed strength and self-esteem, expressed in her recent poem:

In this garden, this beautiful garden…
The seekers for peace can find it here
Only bird song fills the air.
The scent of roses follows you
Across the Compass lawn.

New Year, new growth
New stories to be told
And memories to be made.

Words & Images © Lily Farrah / Warwickshire National Garden Scheme