Long-serving Northamptonshire open garden owners rewarded for years of service

Owners of some of the county’s most beautiful gardens have been thanked for their fundraising efforts at a special lunch in their honour.

Northamptonshire National Garden Scheme members open their gardens to the public every year to raise money for charity.

As a thank you, 50 scheme participants were invited to Coton Manor for a meet-up and presentation to long-serving supporters.

National Garden Scheme chief executive officer George Plumptre welcomed guests to the courtyard and presented ‘long service’ awards to some of the gardeners.

David Abbott, joint county organiser for Northamptonshire, said: “We hold this event every year but this is the first time we have been able to enjoy it and eat outside in the lovely spring sunshine, in the spacious courtyard with the beautiful manor house as a backdrop.

"It makes such a difference to be together for this lunch which we have been prevented from doing for two years because of the various Covid lockdowns.”

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to more than 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Guernsey, and garden owners, volunteers and visitors have enabled more than £63m to be donated to nursing and health charities through admissions, plant sales teas and cake.

Presentations were made to Stella Freeman from Desborough who has opened her garden for ten years, Janet George from Great Brington for 20 years and 30 years of service were marked by John and Iris Boast, from Flore, and John and Dorothy Gregory from Weedon Lois.

To find an NGS garden to visit go to https://ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden/?clear=true