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Did you know
Garden Lovers - Open Your
Garden for Charity!
Many garden lovers eat, drink and sleep
in the garden as well as looking after the
garden when time allows so why not share
your garden with others and at the same
time join a long tradition of supporting a
local charity. This can be done individually
but to reach a wider audience many
people use Scotland’s Gardens Scheme
to provide the maximum effect. Garden
Openers throughout Scotland have
raised over £1 million for charity over the
last five years by sharing their beloved
gardens, raising funds through entrance
fees, refreshments, and plant sales. It’s
also a wonderful opportunity to meet
many people who share your passion for
gardening and the opportunity to inspire
others.
Although wandering round a large estate
garden is very inspiring and pleasurable
viewing smaller gardens as part of a village
trail say often provides an equal amount
of pleasure and new ideas. This is already
happening around Stirlingshire and for
Kippen to join in would be an asset.
If you would like to know more about
opening your garden please contact
your local Scotland’s Garden Scheme
representative, David Ashton (Mob. 07870
729473) who lives in Kippen, and he would
be happy to help you coordinate an event.
Depending on the interest shown David
is proposing, through Scotland’s Gardens
Scheme, a Kippen gardens trail for 2023
and would like to hear from any garden
owner who would like to join in. Visitors
would meet at a central location to collect
a ticket and then wander from garden
to garden, uphill or downhill visiting all
gardens signed up to the event. A cup
of tea and a cake would, no doubt, also
be available at some point. The event
would probably take place on a Saturday
or Sunday, late June, early July though
cognisance would need to be taken of
other events around that time such as the
Kippen Fayre, bicycle races, etc.
Alternatively, if you feel your garden is of
a size and provides sufficient interest to
stand alone speak direct to the Garden’s
Scheme main office in Edinburgh (0131
226 3714) with your name and address, as
well as a short description of your garden.
Arrangements can then be made for a
local Organiser to contact you to discuss
further arrangements and schedule a visit.
Amongst the many things to consider is
access to a garden, parking space, disabled
access, etc.
Scotland’s Gardens Scheme has been
operating for over 90 years has many types
of gardens currently under its umbrella, large
and small gardens, community gardens,
allotments, kitchen gardens, and those of
horticultural interest, seasonal interest such
as snowdrops and autumn colour. 60% of the
funds raised through each garden opening
goes directly to support the organiser’s
agreed charity of choice with the remaining
40% of funds raised providing support to
the Scheme’s own charities, of which there
are three core charities; The Queens Nursing
Institute Scotland, Maggie’s (providing
free cancer support and information) and
Perennial (helping people who work in
horticulture and their families when times
get tough).
E: info@scotlandsgardens.org
W: scotlandsgardens.org
30 www.theweevine.org