Falkirk gardens are opening once again for charity

A change in Scottish Government Covid-19 guidance means owners will be able to welcome visitors once again.

The news was announced as the open garden charity appointed a new national organiser, Liz Stewart, to head up its fundraising work.

Gardens of all shapes and sizes across the country, which until now have been closed to visitors, are welcoming the public back to raise funds for charity, with special Covid-19 safety measures in place.

Visitors are encouraged to stagger their arrival time, bring exact change, maintain safe social distancing at all times and to check a garden’s entry requirements on the website before setting out.

Participating gardens in Falkirk include The Tors in Slamannan Road, an award-winning Victorian garden of just over one acre.

It boasts a secret woodland garden to the side and an orchard leading off to a wild area at the rear.

There are also many unusual maple trees, hydrangeas and rhododendrons and two fine avenues of Chinese paperbark maples.

Open by arrangement until September 30, admission is £4 (children free) with owners Dr and Mrs Ramsay raising funds for Strathcarron Hospice.

David Buchanan-Cook and Adrian Miles are also welcoming visitors to Helensbank in Kincardine, by arrangement until August 31.

Hidden away from public view, the 18th-century walled garden’s main feature is a Cedar of Lebanon, reputedly planted in 1750 by the sea captain who built the house.

The garden exhibits the current owners’ passion for growing unusual and exotic plants, with distinctive garden rooms including a perennial blue and white cottage garden, a formal rose garden and an Italian garden with citrus trees in pots. A shaded walk along the bottom of the garden also leads to a Japanese pagoda.

Admission is £5 (children free) with proceeds being donated to Scottish Veterans Residences.

It is hoped more gardens will reopen as the summer progresses. Many have already contributed virtual tours with over 100 available to view on the website and YouTube channel.

Overseeing this summer’s openings will be the new national organiser Liz Stewart, who previously worked as development manager for Scotland for the Royal Horticultural Society.

She was part of the development team for community activities and led the charity’s UK-wide Greening Great Britain scheme.

Liz has also been a Beautiful Scotland judge for the past five years, volunteering for Keep Scotland Beautiful.

She said: “I’m excited to be supporting the work of such a strong, committed and inspiring community of volunteers.

“With 2020 being the most challenging of years, gardening has become a solace and inspiration to many and the importance of gardens to our well-being has never been greater.”

Like many charities, Scotland Gardens Scheme’s income has been badly hit by the pandemic closures.

However, the Trustees will honour a commitment to make donations this year to its three core beneficiaries, paying £14,000 each to Perennial, the only UK charity for people working in horticulture; The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) and Maggie’s.

Last year, Scotland’s Gardens Scheme enabled garden openers to support their own choice of charities.

Some £193,219 was donated to 235 national and local good causes via 500 garden openings.

They also supported the scheme’s three main beneficiaries (£42,000), its guest charity Trellis Scotland (£5000) and a training grant to the National Trust for Scotland (£7500).

That brought the fundraising tally to an incredible £247,719.

David Mitchell, SGS chairman, said: “The re-opening of gardens has been successful for all concerned.

“We are grateful that so many of our garden openers have been willing to do so.

“Not only are the funds raised of great importance in supporting such a wide range of charitable causes, but the enjoyment given to so many people through opening gardens is as important to our community as the fundraising itself.

“We breathe life into gardens and gardens breathe life into us. Come and visit!”

Visit scotlandsgardens.org to find out more.

Explore from inside the gates

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme was founded in 1931 to raise money for the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, to help support the Queen’s Nurses.

In a time before the National Health Service, there was little support for nurses.

However, more than 250 gardens opened that first year, including Balmoral Castle, Scottish home of the Royal Family since 1852.

In 1939, with the Dig for Victory campaign, many people turned their formal gardens into vegetable beds.

But the scheme was held in such high esteem that extra petrol was allocated for gardeners to mow their lawns and to provide transportation for visitors. And despite the drop in garden openings proceeds increased.

The scheme’s charitable support has expanded over the years but its love of gardens has remained constant. Scotland’s Gardens Scheme raises money for charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest all over the country.

Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times so it’s an opportunity to explore from inside the gates!

Since 2018, 60 per cent of Garden Open Day takings have been donated to the owner’s nominated charities with the remaining 40 per cent distributed to the scheme’s four beneficiaries.

Visitors can plan their days out by clicking onto scotlandsgardens.org.

Click on the area you would like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, an online map and key details.

In light of the current health pandemic, please check the website before setting off to make sure you have the most up-to-date information.