Indian summer brings new life to garden

September sunshine has brought some new life to gardens opening up this weekend.

An Indian summer after a disappointing season is likely to bring bumper crowds to attractions in the region.

Gardens opening up as part of the National Gardens Scheme include James and Louisa Arbuthnott's Stone House Cottage Gardens at Stone, near Kidderminster.

The couple have created a beautiful and romantic walled garden adorned with unusual brick follies. It is exuberantly planted and holds one of the largest collections of rare plants in the country, acting as a shop window for the adjoining nursery.

The garden, opening tomorrow, has many specialist wall shrubs and climbers collected by Louisa and planted amongst a network of walls and turrets built by James over the last 20 years.

Specialist

In Bloxwich, the garden of John and Julie Quinn is also opening up.

Featured in the Express & Star yesterday, the Fishley Close garden is being candlelit tomorrow night to give it an intimate flickering atmosphere.

Mrs Quinn said: "I love the autumn colours at this time of the year and I thought they would look good with lighting in the evening so I plumped for a Saturday night opening to raise money for the National Gardens Scheme.

"I have a lot of Japanese maples and they look really attractive with red lighting under them and the blue spruces look really good under blue lights. It is a bit of fun and something different to help to raise money for the charities."

For those who like a ride into the country, Mr and Mrs Ken Cooke open Harnage Farm at Cound, near Shrewsbury, which is known for its good autumn colour and its interesting 15-minute walk to a conservation garden and wildlife pool - and it is said to be well worth a visit.

By Ken Tudor