Open garden for Easter

2:36pm Sunday 16th March 2008

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A FAVOURITE South Lakeland garden is preparing to open its gate to visitors for Easter under the National Gardens Scheme.

Copt Howe, in Great Langdale, is a firm favourite with visitors and will kick off the 2008 season over the bank holiday weekend.

The National Gardens Scheme (NGS) raises money for a range of nursing, caring and cancer charities by opening private gardens to the public.

Added to those gardens already on the scheme in Cumbria, such as Rydal Hall, near Ambleside and Pear Tree Cottage, near Burton-in-Kendal, are nine new gardens.

These include a cottage style garden at Olde Oaks, near Appleby, created by a local midwife.

Last year the scheme raised more than £41,000 for charity in the county and organisers hope this year will be even better.

Alec Greening, a county organiser, said: "We were absolutely delighted with the amount raised in 2007 and we would like to thank all the garden owners who worked so hard in very difficult conditions to get their gardens into peak condition.

"Thanks must go, too, to the small army of enthusiastic garden visitors without whom we couldn't raise such fantastic sums for these excellent charities."

The latest edition of the NGS open gardens leaflet for Cumbria is available from tourist information centres and garden centres.