The National Garden Scheme
The National Garden Scheme (fondly known simply as the NGS) came into being in 1927 when a number of plucky gardeners decided to open their gardens to the public, and raise money to generate a pension fund for the district nurses of the Queens Nursing Institute. That year over six hundred private gardens showed their support by opening, and they raised well over £8000. Not an inconsiderable sum at mid 1920s monetary values.
With the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948, the nurses' pensions came under the government's remit, but that wasn't the end of the NGS's good works. As time went by more gardens opened, which resulted in more money being raised for even more charities. Since 1927 nearly £42,000,000 has been collected for these charities, an astounding amount. £25,000,000 of that money being raised in the last ten years alone. This indicates how garden visiting has grown in popularity.
Unlike many charities, the NGS retains very few full time staff, the vast majority being volunteers who spend many hours organising, and helping gardeners to make it all happen. They often cover many miles visiting and supporting these gardens at their own expense. This means that virtually all of your donations go straight to the charities we support. Currently these charities are; Macmillan Cancer Support (supporting those with cancer,) Marie Curie Cancer Care (giving those with terminal illnesses the chance to die at home supported by their families,) Crossroads Care (support for carers,) Help the Hospices (funding for training nurses and staff,) The Queen's Nursing Institute (supporting their nursing care,) The Royal Fund for Gardener's Children (supporting orphans and needy children of those in the horticultural trade,) Perennial - The Gardener's Royal Benevolent Society (helping horticulturalists who are suffering financial reversal,) and finally, The National Trust (funding the gardening careership programme to train heritage gardener's of the future.)
In the 1980s the NGS became The National Garden Scheme Charitable Trust with Queen Elizabeth the The Queen Mother as its patron. Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales being the current patron.
The principle publication of the NGS is the famous "Yellow Book" that lists all the gardens that are open to the public for that year. It not only contains the gardens but numerous items and articles of interest too. It is a good read. You should always have two copies. A copy to look at at home, and a copy to keep in the car for when you're out and about.
Finally, the NGS has proved so popular that it has been featured in two series of "Open Gardens" by the Twofour production company for BBC2.
Why not visit the NGS website and have a look around. You never know, it may whet your appetite to visit some of the gardens mentioned. It may even move you to open your own garden.
Cherry Trees Wildlife Garden isn't opening for the NGS in 2016 look forward to doing so next year (2017):-
Hopefully it will be on May late Bank Holiday Visiting times: 2-5 pm. Admission £3.50 (children free.) Teas, cake, light refreshments and a good chin-wag about wildlife gardening. Dogs allowed if well behaved and not too big.
Besides the garden there's a photo collection to peruse and "Up the Garden Path" will be for sale if interested. This is my memoir about opening for the NGS while being filmed.
You can visit the National Garden Scheme website by following this link - www.ngs.org.uk.
With the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948, the nurses' pensions came under the government's remit, but that wasn't the end of the NGS's good works. As time went by more gardens opened, which resulted in more money being raised for even more charities. Since 1927 nearly £42,000,000 has been collected for these charities, an astounding amount. £25,000,000 of that money being raised in the last ten years alone. This indicates how garden visiting has grown in popularity.
Unlike many charities, the NGS retains very few full time staff, the vast majority being volunteers who spend many hours organising, and helping gardeners to make it all happen. They often cover many miles visiting and supporting these gardens at their own expense. This means that virtually all of your donations go straight to the charities we support. Currently these charities are; Macmillan Cancer Support (supporting those with cancer,) Marie Curie Cancer Care (giving those with terminal illnesses the chance to die at home supported by their families,) Crossroads Care (support for carers,) Help the Hospices (funding for training nurses and staff,) The Queen's Nursing Institute (supporting their nursing care,) The Royal Fund for Gardener's Children (supporting orphans and needy children of those in the horticultural trade,) Perennial - The Gardener's Royal Benevolent Society (helping horticulturalists who are suffering financial reversal,) and finally, The National Trust (funding the gardening careership programme to train heritage gardener's of the future.)
In the 1980s the NGS became The National Garden Scheme Charitable Trust with Queen Elizabeth the The Queen Mother as its patron. Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales being the current patron.
The principle publication of the NGS is the famous "Yellow Book" that lists all the gardens that are open to the public for that year. It not only contains the gardens but numerous items and articles of interest too. It is a good read. You should always have two copies. A copy to look at at home, and a copy to keep in the car for when you're out and about.
Finally, the NGS has proved so popular that it has been featured in two series of "Open Gardens" by the Twofour production company for BBC2.
Why not visit the NGS website and have a look around. You never know, it may whet your appetite to visit some of the gardens mentioned. It may even move you to open your own garden.
Cherry Trees Wildlife Garden isn't opening for the NGS in 2016 look forward to doing so next year (2017):-
Hopefully it will be on May late Bank Holiday Visiting times: 2-5 pm. Admission £3.50 (children free.) Teas, cake, light refreshments and a good chin-wag about wildlife gardening. Dogs allowed if well behaved and not too big.
Besides the garden there's a photo collection to peruse and "Up the Garden Path" will be for sale if interested. This is my memoir about opening for the NGS while being filmed.
You can visit the National Garden Scheme website by following this link - www.ngs.org.uk.