Walled garden to be opened to aid National Trust scheme

UNUSUAL varieties of plants and vegetables will be on show at Clumber Park's four-acre walled kitchen garden on Saturday this week when it opens its gates for a National Garden Scheme (NGS) open day.

The NGS helps to train budding gardeners by donating 250,000 a year to the National Trust's "Careership" initiative.

A spokesman for the National Trust, which manages Clumber Park, said: "Visitors will be able to see the garden at its peak, with an array of unusual and old varieties of vegetables, fruit trees, herbs and ornamentals.

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"As well as what you'd expect in a kitchen garden, the recently restored 400ft-long double herbaceous border is a particular spectacle at this time of year.

"A rainbow of colours leads you to the stunning Long Range glass house.

"From deep blue delphiniums and bright orange day lilies to fiery red Maltese Cross, you'll find plants of every colour on show."

Clumber Park's gardener Fiona Alexander will be in the garden between 1pm and 4pm on the day for those interested in finding out more about the Careership scheme and what it is like to garden with the National Trust.

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The following day – Sunday, July 18 – the gardens at Hardwick Hall, near Chesterfield, will also be open from 11am to 5pm as part of the NGS open day scheme.

Attractions within Hardwick's extensive grounds include grass walks between yew and hornbeam hedges, cedar trees, a herb garden and herbaceous and rose borders.

The Hardwick estate is also hosting a series of walks this summer to give people the opportunity to explore the countryside and history on their doorstep.