Gates open wide

Yes, it’s National Garden Scheme again, so it’s time to banish the winter blues and visit a garden for a bit of horticultural inspiration and a warm welcome from the owners.

This is the 90th year the NGS has been in business; last year, more than £3.6m was raised for the likes of Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie and Hospice UK.

The open season begins with a trickle as one or two gardens brave the vagaries of the weather. Snowdrops and early spring bulbs are the mainstays for them, but as Nature gets into her stride, weekends become packed with the chance to visit gardens great and small.

In Yorkshire, there are more than 120 gardens opening this year, and all are listed in a free booklet which gives details of opening times, what to see, where to go and how much it will cost.

Nine new gardens will open in the county this year, including Scape Lodge, 1,000ft up in the Pennines above Huddersfield; Rosemary Cottage, at Hook, near Goole; and Bramble Croft, at Silsden, near Keighley.

And over at New Ellerby, Hull, the wildlife haven of Glaramara will open on June 18.

A couple of weeks later, it’s the turn of the restored walled gardens at Crakehall Hall, Bedale, where visitors can enjoy colour-themed borders, a thyme walk, lavender alley and white garden. Myton Grange, at Myton-on-Swale, also opens on the same weekend.

A week later, it’s the turn of 1 School Lane, at Bempton, near Bridlington, while 5 Willow Grove, in Beverley, is one of two walled gardens waiting to welcome visitors.

Finally, Village Farm House, at Swine, near Hull, is another Yorkshire first-time opener for the NGS, in late July.

There are still plenty of older favourites, such as Newby Hall, Dove Cottage Nursery Garden and Stillingfleet Lodge, while Ellerker House, at Everingham, near York, is among the earliest of openers – tomorrow from 10am-5pm.

Full details of all gardens can be found at www.ngs.org.uk