Over the next two months, 23 gardens in Evenley, Turweston, Charlton, Steane Park, Wappenham, Finmere, Weedon Lois and Weedon will be opened to the public while raising money for a host of charities supported by the scheme including Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Support and the National Trust.

The gardens range in size from the 80 acres of woodland, gardens and church grounds of Steane Park near Brackley to the small courtyard garden of Stone Cottage in Wappenham.

Stone Cottage owner Diane Watts said: "We have herbaceous borders in a partly-walled garden, with a silver birch and a courtyard with mostly ericaceous plants like Rhododendrons and Camillias. It's very colourful.
"It's not a huge garden and we're not experienced gardeners but we love gardening."

Mrs Watts said she still had some plant pots to put out before her garden is opened, along with five others in Wappenham on Sunday, June 14.

Wappenham Parish Church will also be hosting a display of miniature gardens created by local children.

NGS county organiser Annabel Smyth-Osbourne will open her garden at Versions Farm in Turweston on Sunday, May 24.

Mrs Smyth Osbourne said: "We have a very strong standard of gardens, although they are varied. Different people are attracted by different things, our main rule is they must be well cared for and attractive."
Lady Hayter, owner of Walnut House in Charlton, will be opening her garden on Sunday, May 31 and said: "There are always things to do, I'm sure we'll still be doing bits the morning we open.

"It is quite a large garden but all the design and work is done by ourselves. There will be a lot of colour following a theme of yellow and bronze and I'm sure the first of the roses will be out as well."
For more details about which gardens are open, go to the website www.ngs.org.uk