Garden secrets revealed as Ludlow event returns

The popular event, which has taken place for about 31 years but had to be cancelled last year because of Covid, is returning on Sunday.

From midday until 6pm, visitors will be able to take a look around a selection of gardens not normally open to the public, as part of the Secret Gardens of Ludlow.

Nine delightful private gardens, all within walking distance of the town centre, will open their garden gates for this year’s popular fundraising event, which will raise money for the maintenance and running of Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

Diverse in setting, style and size, the gardens range from a small, colourful courtyard to a meadow sweeping down to the River Teme, and everything in between.

One of the organisers Cy Jones said: “We have been doing the gardens event for about 31 years but everything will be a little bit different this year.

“All of the gardens involved are very different. There is a beautiful garden at the top, with a terrace and a meadow down to the river, and then there is a little courtyard garden at the back of a shop full of flowers and a seating area and you would not expect to find it there.

“There are lawns to die for and some filled with herbaceous plants and the allotments will be open, and a lot of people really enjoy looking around those to see what people are growing.”

Herb plants from Chelsea Gold-winners The Cottage Herbery, plants from Mellington Nurseries, refreshments, ices creams, prosecco and a bumper raffle with a fine foods hamper and a bottle of champagne as two of the prizes, will all be available in selected gardens.

Cy added: “We normally get about 1,000 visitors and they come from all over, including Manchester, Bristol and Norfolk in the past. I have already had quite a few enquiries, so it is quite a well-known event now

“We will be following Covid rules including social distancing measures.

“Money raised at the event will go to help with the maintenance and running costs of the Ludlow Assembly Rooms, which has been undergoing a huge refurbishment for a couple of years and is almost finished.

“We hold different events during the year for the Assembly Rooms, including a book sale, coffee mornings and we do an auction about once every couple of years, but the open gardens is our biggest annual event.”

Visitors should bring cash, as card payments will not be available at some of the stalls or at the garden gate.

The event has been organised with safe Covid practices in mind, including some social distancing measures, plus the use of face coverings in one or two venues where access to the garden is through a property.

Tickets/maps at £10 each, giving entry to all gardens, are now available online at ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk until midday on Friday, July 2, or during normal shop hours at Castle Bookshop, cash only, and at the gardens on the day, also cash only.