Hidden plot concealing secret garden due to open in Ludlow
There may be plenty of grand gardens opening their gates for charity in the coming weeks and months – but not many like the "secret" one on Ludlow's Steventon New Road.
The half-acre garden is not attached to a manor house in the Shropshire countryside but rather hidden in the heart of town, tucked away behind a row of terraced houses.
The rarely-seen garden will be opened to the public for its fifth year in a row on June 18, as part of the National Gardens Scheme, which sees privately owned, interesting and beautiful gardens open to the public in order to raise money for nursing and care-supporting charities.
The "secret garden" at 21 Steventon Terrace belongs to Kevin and Carolyn Wood, who have tended it for 30 years. Carolyn, aged 56, a kitchen assistant, said the terraced garden was unusually large. It was like that when we took it on, it came with the house," she said, though she added they had bought a little extra plot from a neighbour who had become too old to look after it.
"We do it all ourselves. We both work, and we've got no gardeners to help. There are rose beds, herbaceous borders, a tropical garden, and it's all terraced up the bank.
"We've been opening with the National Gardens Scheme for five years now, it's all for such a good cause.
"We'll be open from 1pm to 5pm and we'll have home-made cakes and teas and plants for sale – and pets are all welcome.
Anyone wishing to arrange a viewing can call Kevin and Carolyn on (01584) 876037.
