'Talk and walk' at historic hall for gardening enthusiasts

Trainee Tim Turner will talk about his work in the Loire Valley and he will be joined by Hardwick's head gardener, Ian Hunt, to give a tour of the potting sheds and greenhouses.

Mr Turner's travels focused on "Villandry", an early 16th century garden, where he looked at connections with the gardens of Bess of Hardwick's time.

He said: "I was curious about how Bess of Hardwick's garden would have looked when Hardwick was first built and what tastes and fashions might have shaped English gardens in the 16th century.

"Villandry is most famous for its potager, where vegetable and fruits are grown ornamentally. Making productive gardening attractive has a strong appeal for me and is increasingly relevant to us."

The National Garden Scheme helps train budding National Trust gardeners by donating 250,000 a year to the organisation's Careership initiative scheme.

Tickets for the event, which starts at 6.30pm, need to be booked by telephoning 01246 858400. Admission costs 10 per person and all those attending will receive a potted plant.

The Hardwick estate is also hosting a series of walks this summer, organised by the National Trust and the Bolsover Countryside Partnership, to give people the opportunity to explore the countryside and history on their doorstep.

Jo Rawson, who will be leading many of the walks, said: "Walking in the countryside is a far more exciting way of getting fit than going to the gym and these walks will offer the opportunity for people to explore Hardwick Park."