A chance to see behind usually closed gates and raise cash for good causes at the same time, National Garden Scheme open days are taking place across our area this month. Alice Ryan enjoys a preview

Heath Fruit Farm, Bluntisham

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Timed to coincide with its trees coming into mass blossom, Heath Fruit Farm’s debut opening will make National Garden Scheme history: though the county is historically a heartland for apple growing, it’s the first orchard in Cambridgeshire to open with the scheme. With 25 acres of plums, damsons, greengages, apricots, apples and cherries passing the baton between them, each reaching its blossomy peak in turn, visitors are promised a spectacle. Fruit has been grown on Heath Farm’s land for more than 100 years, and the opening will include tours explaining about the trees, their fruit and how the farm works.

Opening on Saturdays April 1 and 15, 10am to 2pm both days. Admission £4 for adults and free for children. Dogs welcome on leads. Homemade teas available.

Chaucer Road Gardens, Cambridge

A chance to take a tour of a group of gardens, all belonging to Edwardian houses set on the south side of the city, the Chaucer Road open day is always a highlight of the National Garden Scheme’s spring calendar. With the plots all very different in size and character, highlights include ages-old trees, sweeping lawns, wildlife-rich ponds and a watermeadow with frontage on the Cam and a resident population of rare breed sheep. With planting and projects ever evolving, there’s always something new to see.

Opening on Sundays April 30 and May 1, 2pm to 5pm both days. Admission £8 for adults and free for children. Homemade teas available at Upwater Lodge.

Netherhall Manor, Soham

It has featured on BBC Gardeners’ World three times, was described by the Good Gardens Guide as an elegant garden ‘touched with antiquity’, and has been opening with the National Garden Scheme for an incredible 30 years this spring: Netherhall Manor’s reputation precedes it. Home to a number of painstakingly curated plant collections, the old primroses, daffodils, Victorian double-flowered hyacinths and hellebore hybrids peak in April, followed by the old English tulips and crown imperials in May.

Opening on Sundays April 2 and May 7, 2pm to 5pm both days. Admission £3 for adults and free for children. Homemade refreshments sold in aid of Fordham church.

Blakenham Woodland Garden, Little Blakenham

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Spanning six acres, Blakenham Woodland Garden is arguably at its loveliest in spring. As snowdrops and then daffodils fade, bluebells and magnolias come to the fore. Naturalistic planting sits alongside contemporary features: as well as being home to numerous rare trees and shrubs, Blakenham is furnished with Chinese rocks, a focal landscaped spiral form and a formal vegetable plot.

Opening Sunday, April 23, 10am to 4pm. Admission £5 for adults and £3 for children. Homemade teas available.

Moat House, Little Saxham

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Set in an historic, partially moated site, this two-acre garden has been developed over the course of two decades. Bordered by mature trees, it features everything from a sunken garden to a small arboretum, via mature herbaceous borders and both rose and clematis arbours. The owners continue to embark on new garden projects, with a picturesque parterre and productive Hartley Botanic greenhouse among the more recent additions.

Opening Sunday, April 30, 1pm to 5pm. Admission £5 for adults and free for children. Homemade teas available.

Great Thurlow Hall, Haverhill

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Clouded with blossom, the trees which line the riverside walk at Great Thurlow Hall steal the show at this time of year. Straddling the River Stour, the Hall’s 13 landscaped acres encompass extensive shrub and herbaceous borders, a classic rose garden, a large walled kitchen garden and an arboretum. The adjacent Curwen Print Study Centre, Art Studios & Gallery open alongside the gardens, meaning visitors can also watch artists at work and admire the resident collection of artwork, including prints by leading 20th century names Paula Rego and Edward Bawden.

Opening Sunday, April 2, 2pm to 5pm. Admission £5 for adults and free for children. Homemade teas served in the church.

About the NGS

“The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to more than 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake,” say organisers.

“Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors, we have donated in excess of £67 million to nursing and health charities to date, and in 2022 made an annual donation of £3.11 million. Our core beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.”

To find out more and view the full calendar of open dates, go to ngs.org.uk