Secret back gardens will open for charity

Acclaimed by the national press, TV and radio, the hidden back gardens of Ambrose Place, Worthing, have been opened to the public once a year since 1984.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jun 2017, 10:52 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:07 BST
Visitors at last year's Ambrose Place Hidden Back Gardens. Picture: Kevin Shaw KS0002CVisitors at last year's Ambrose Place Hidden Back Gardens. Picture: Kevin Shaw KS0002C
Visitors at last year's Ambrose Place Hidden Back Gardens. Picture: Kevin Shaw KS0002C

Residents of the Grade II listed Regency terrace are once again opening their gardens for charity on Sunday as part of the National Gardens Scheme, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

Organiser Marie Pringle said: “All gardens are maintained by their amateur garden owners, so they appeal to the average town gardener looking for ideas, as well as to those simply after an enjoyable day out.

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“Some of the owners offer home grown plants for sale at very reasonable prices – always a popular feature with visitors.”

Winner of the NGS Exceptional Service Award in 2010, Ambrose Place Hidden Back Gardens has been described as ‘a horticultural phenomenon’ in the Daily Telegraph and ‘ordinary people, extraordinary back gardens’ in The Times.

A variety of imaginative water features add to the charm and prove that small can be beautiful.

Opening times are 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. It costs £6 for adults, children free, for all nine gardens taking part and entry points are at Ambrose Villa on the corner of Richmond Road and Portland Road, at No.10 opposite Worthing Library, and No.4, near St Paul’s. Homemade refreshments are available in some of the gardens for £2.50.

All money raised by the scheme goes to charity, the main beneficiaries being Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Related topics:ResidentsGrade II