North Marston Open Gardens

On a day that threatened to be wet but turned not too bad at all until teatime, North Marston and visitors were treated to to the delights of six very different gardens in the village.

25 Granborough Road

First up was the extensive garden at Marston Gate House – or more accurately gardens plus livestock.

Some very happy pigs and goslings and long-legged ducks complemented the formal and informal garden area.

I was particularly taken with the kitchen courtyard shown here, with its five-part raised bed, herbs and a very tempting bench.

6 Shepperds Close

This small garden comes as a complete surprise on entry; it has a beautiful open vista over a ha-ha and into the fields beyond, creating the feeling of huge space and light.

With barely a straight line in sight, the garden is packed with colour.

The shed too has its surprises, doubling as an artist's studio and a cactus farm!

2 Carters Meadow

Moving back up Quainton Road, we come to another small garden that can justly claim to be a plantsman's garden, crammed full of unusual species.

Or so Chrissie tells me. Unfortunately yours truly can't tell a dandelion from a daisy, so you're out of luck with anything more than this vague description.

I enjoyed it a lot anyway, and I can vouch for the fact that there were plants everywhere. Many had flowers.

21 Quainton Road

Just across the road is another small new garden that looks just the perfect place for a summer's drink.

This is just one of the several welcoming spots to settle down with a long cool drink and enjoy the scents. A garden with plenty of light and shade.

14 High Street

The delicious front garden of Home Farm is something we all enjoy when we stroll down the High Street.

Today we could also look round the back of the good-looking house. Amongst other things we could admire the superb renovation of the barn.

The weather was just giving out when I arrived here, so this picture looking north-west from the back of the house is taken from under the brolly!

11 Church Street

Our final destination was the Old Matronage, by which the time the heavens had opened. Luckily the Bowshers are very good hosts!

This garden is jammed full of surprises. Much bigger than you might imagine, it is all action, with many fascinating and fun garden ornaments and funiture, thatched buildings, ponds, plants, trees, places to hide and the odd dog or two.

A great garden to end a great tour!

Tea and cakes

All afternoon there was of course plentiful tea and excellent cakes at the Village Hall, plus an exhibition of photos competing to form next year's calendar.

The proceeds raised from the day will be divided between St Mary's Church Restoration Fund and North Marston and Granborough Community Sports Field. Thanks to everyone who made the success, not least the six garden families who did us proud.