The village of Stottesdon, between Bridgnorth and Cleobury Mortimer, will be opening its gardens this Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday for the National Gardens Scheme.

Thirteen gardens will be open in and around the village from 1pm to 6pm each day.

Celia Taylor has been arranging these openings since 1987, originally every year and then every other year, and this year will be the 13th opening, the second on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.

The 13 gardens are all very varied and different, some small, some large, some productive and some ornamental.

A trail like this has so much variety to provide something of interest for everyone.

The gardens vary from compact cottage gardens to modern ornamental gardens. One is designed on organic and conservation principles.

In the village I visited Paul and Chris Haydon’s garden at Aranby in the middle of the village. This is a modern bungalow with restricted space at the rear.

Paul and Chris have designed both a productive and ornamental garden with a large greenhouse, raised vegetable beds, fruit trees and chickens.

They grow potatoes in plastic sacks and containers with salads in.

The ornamental part is raised up above a paved and slate patio and consists of a formal pool with beds of herbaceous plants including hostas, conifers to provide year-round interest decking to divide the ornamental part from the productive area. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved in a restricted area.

About three miles out of the village towards Bridgnorth is Midwinters, a small hamlet where three gardens will be open. John and Elizabeth Smith have lived at Briar Cottage for four years and have transformed what they described as a large lawn into a lovely sub-divided garden.

A cottage garden has been constructed in front of the cottage, a side garden is being developed with fruit trees.

The large back garden which backs onto woodland has a patio area with potted shrubs, a border of sun- loving plants-look out for the tree peony, pergolas, an ornamental pool, herbaceous borders, climbing and English roses and vegetables.

Further borders are under development and used for growing potatoes this year

Admission to Stottesdon gardens is by ticket with a map available from the first garden open from the Bridgnorth direction at Midwinters, the first garden from the Ludlow direction in Station road and from the dedicated car park in the village centre.

All but one of the gardens is accessible by wheelchair, while teas and a plant stall are available at St Mary’s Church.

GARDENS OPEN THIS WEEKEND

Friday, May 23

• Wollerton Old Hall, Wollerton near Market Drayton for the NGS. Open noon-5pm, admission, £5, child £1.

Sunday, May 25

• The Old Rectory, Hope Bagot, five miles east of Ludlow for the Shropshire Historic Churches Trust. Open 10.30am-6pm , admission £2.50.
• Stottesdon Village Gardens for the NGS. Open 1-6pm, admission £3.50.
• Swallow Hayes, Rectory Road, Albrighton, for the Shropshire Historic Churches Trust. Open 2-5.30pm, admission £3.
• Walcot Hall, Lydbury North for the NGS. Open 1.30-5.30pm, admission £3.50.
• The Walled Garden, Knill, near Presteigne, for the NGS. Open 2-6pm,admission £3.

Monday, May 26

• Brownhill House, Ruyton-XI-Towns for the NGS. Open 6.30-8.30pm, admission £3.
• Cyfie Farm, Llanfihangel, Llanfyllin, for the NGS. Open 2-5pm, admission £3.50.
• Stottesdon Village Gardens for the NGS. Open 1-6pm, admission £3.50.
• Walcot Hall, Lydbury North, for the NGS. Open 1.30-5.30pm, admission £3.50.

Tuesday, May 27

• Radnor Cottage, Clun for the NGS. Open 2-6pm, admission £2.50.

Compiled by Martin Ford