Stunning gardens and meadows opening this weekend
This weekend sees the latest chance for people to see one of the region's most stunning gardens.
Hurdley Hall, on the Shropshire and Mid Wales border at Churchstoke, will be open as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS).
The property's gardens and grounds stretch across a total of 25 acres – 18 of which are made up of Coronation Meadows, woodland and orchard.
Owned by the two Simons – Simon Cain and Simon Quin, the gardens are open from 11am to 5pm on Sunday.
It is the second time the gardens will have been opened this year, with the events raising money for charities supported by the NGS – including Marie Curie, Macmillan, Hospice UK, and a host of others.
This Sunday's opening will feature a chance for people to join tours of the gardens, every 90 minutes, led by an expert in meadows and an entomologist – an expert in insects.
Mr Cain said they had introduced the tours for the recent opening, and they had proved very popular.
The day will also include a performance from a swing band at 2pm, with home-made teas available as refreshments.
The garden has been a labour of love for the pair, who set about transforming the surrounds after restoring the house, which they bought back in 2001.
The result has been spectacular, with the garden featuring as a finalist in The English Garden’s ‘Nation’s Favourite Garden’ competition.
The work has seen the pair create extensive borders, ponds, stone walling, topiary and a kitchen garden that has been merged into the landscape with traditional hay meadows, stream-side walks, woodlands and an orchard.
The garden, which sits behind Roundton Hill Nature Reserve, has everything from rows of lavender and deep herbaceous borders to a wild flower meadow, topiary and an orchard.
Mr Cain said they had undertaken all the work themselves since 2012, after moving down permanently from London.
He said: "I had a garden in London that was the size of a postage stamp so it was all new, we had to learn a lot of new skills."
Mr Cain said that the addition of the meadows had been a huge success, saying: "A lot of people came in the past for the garden but now they come for the meadow."
Entry costs £6, and is free for children, with more information available on the NGS website.
