IN NORTH Powys this weekend we have two ‘small but perfectly formed’ gardens open in Welshpool and Llandinam. Very different gardens, but each packed with so much interest to delight the visitor.

Open on both Saturday and Sunday, July 13 and 14, from noon until 5pm, the jewel in the town at 1 Church Bank is a fascinating garden behind a 17th century barrel maker’s cottage.

Follow the winding paths through a gothic arch to a shell grotto and a bonsai garden. Sounds of water fill the air and interesting plants fill the space; there is so much to see all around you need to remind yourself to look up at what is growing overhead.

There is a children’s garden quiz and home-made teas with cakes to die for. Church Bank is in the centre of Welshpool (post code SY21 7DR), follow the one-way system and park in the nearby carpark. Admission is £3.50 for adults and children go free.

In a completely different setting, Little House at Llandinam is surrounded by fields and woodland and bordered by a stream.

It is close to The Severn Way and a mile from Llandinam village or less if you follow the footpath up Llys Brygolwg and across the fields (Turn left at Brynhafren, by the letter box).

Above Little House is Cefn Carnedd an Iron Age hillfort with wonderful views of the Severn Valley.

The garden is 1/3 acre plantswoman’s garden with slate and bark paths providing access to many features and over 500 different plants.

In summer, the garden is in full bloom with the sensory garden alive with colour and scents. To find Little House, cross river at statue of David Davies on A470 in Llandinam and follow the road; it is black and white cottage on roadside.

There is limited parking, so why not leave the car in the village and stroll along the path across the field enjoying the view along the way. The garden is open from 1pm until 5pm on Sunday, July 14, admission is £3.50 for adults and children go free.

1 Church Bank and some other Powys gardens also open by arrangement providing visitors with an exclusive opportunity to explore wonderful gardens set in stunning locations, all you need to do is contact the owner and arrange a time to suit you.

Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors the National Garden Scheme are donating £3m to Nursing and Health Charities in 2019. Horatio’s Garden is building an amazing garden designed by Bunny Guinness at the Spinal Unit at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Gobowen; the National Garden Scheme has donated £170,000 to help fund this work.

Gardens open by arrangement:

Apr-Aug: ABERNANT, Garthmyl, SY15 6RZ Mrs BM Gleave: 01686 640494, john.gleave@mac.com

Apr-Nov: HEBRON, Knighton, LD7 1HP Kevin Collins & Anita Lewis

01547 529576 kd.collins@hotmail.co.uk

All Year: LLYSDINAM, Newbridge-on-Wye, LD1 6NB

Mary Elster: 01597 860190 llethr@outlook.com

Apr-Nov: PLAS DINAM, Llandinam, SY17 5DQ

Eldrydd Lamp, 07415 503554, eldrydd@plasdinam.co.uk

Apr-Sep: PONT FAEN HOUSE, Farrington Lane, Knighton, LD7 1LA

Mr John & Mrs Brenda Morgan, 01547 520847

May-Sep: 1 CHURCH BANK, Welshpool, SY21 7DR Mel & Heather Parkes

01938 559112, melandheather@live.co.uk

May-Sep: TRANQUILLITY HAVEN, Whitton, LD7 1NJ Val Brown

01547 560070 valerie.brown1502@gmail.com

May-Sep: WHITE HOPTON FARM, Sarn SY16 4EN Claire Austin

01686 670342 enquiries@claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk

Jun-Jul: HURDLEY HALL, Churchstoke, SY15 6DY Simon Cain & Simon Quin

07958915115 simon.cain@westbourneconsulting.com

Jun-Jul: THE HYMNS, Presteigne, LD8 2RA E Passey

07958 762362 thehymns@hotmail.com

Jun-Sep: 1 YSTRAD HOUSE, Knighton, LD7 1EB John & Margaret Davis

01547 528154 jamdavis@ystradhouse.plus.com

Jun-Aug: TYN Y CWM, Beulah, LD5 4TS Steve & Christine Carrow

01591 620461 stevetynycwm@hotmail.co.uk

Jun-Sep: THE NEUADD, Llanbedr, NP8 1SP Robin & Philippa Herbert

01873 812164 philippahherbert@gmail.com

Jul: BRONIARTH HALL, Guilsfield, SY21 9DW Mrs Janet Powell

01938 500639 janet09br@hotmail.co.uk

Ends

For more information, high resolution images or to interview a spokesperson, please contact Helen Anthony (Publicity Officer) by emailing powys.ngs.publicity@gmail.com or calling 01686 941795

NOTES TO EDITOR

About National Garden Scheme

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England and Wales, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake.

Thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors we have donated a total of £58 million to nursing and health charities, and made donations of £3.1 million in 2018. Founded in 1927 to support district nurses, we are now the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK and our beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and The Queen’s Nursing Institute.

The National Garden Scheme doesn’t just open beautiful gardens for charity – we are passionate about the physical and mental health benefits of gardens too. We fund projects which promote gardens and gardening as therapy, and in 2017, we launched our annual Gardens and Health Week to raise awareness of the topic.

To find your perfect garden, visit ngs.org.uk, download the National Garden Scheme app or purchase the National Garden Scheme’s Garden Visitor’s Handbook, which is published annually and available via ngs.org.uk/shop and at all good book retailers.