All the North East gardens opening their gates for charity for this summer's Open Garden season

This summer, more than 20 private gardens will open to the public for a limited time across the North East.

Each year, the National Open Garden Scheme sees usually private gardens open to the public, charging an admission fee which is then donated to charity. In 2023, £3.4 million was raised from the opening of more than 3,500 private gardens across the whole of the UK.

The donations were split between beneficiaries including Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice UK. In 2023, six Northumberland gardens opened in aid of HospiceCare North Northumberland, including Hedgeley Hall in Powburn, Blagdon House, and the Friary at Alnmouth - with around 3,000 people visiting each one.

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It raised £31,700 which will fund a full-time hospice nurse for a year. A spokesperson for HospiceCare North Northumberland said that people from all over the North East visit their open gardens events.

They added: "The money raised goes to support the running costs of our clinical services for people in North Northumberland living with a life-limiting illness. All our services are free at the point of delivery so we rely on events like this to fund the services."

All the North East gardens open this year in the National Open Garden Scheme

• Blagdon, Seaton Burn, Northumberland, April 28

• Whalton Manor Gardens, Morpeth, Northumberland, May 18

• Ferndene House, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, May 19

• Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland, May 20

• Thornton Hall Gardens, Darlington, County Durham, June 5

• Hill House, Haydon Bridge Northumberland, June 6 and September 5

• Crook Hall and Gardens, Durham, June 6

• Lorbottle Hall, Whittingham, Alnwick, Northumberland, June 9

• Oliver Ford Garden, Consett, County Durham, June 9

• Bichfield Tower, Belsay, Northumberland, June 15

• Halton Castle, Corbridge, Northumberland, June 16

• Hawkhill House, Lesbury, Alnwick, Northumberland, June 22

• The Stables, Bowburn, Durham, June 23

• Rose Cottage, Durham, June 23

• Old Quarrington Gardens, Durham, June 23

• 13 Heugh Hall Row, Durham, June 23

• Orchard Cottage, Durham, June 23

• Marie Curie House, Newcastle, June 23

• Mindrum House Garden, Northumberland, June 23

• Kirky Cottage, Northumberland, June 23

• Fallodon Hall, Alnwick, Northumberland, June 29

• Stanton Fence, Morpeth, Northumberland, June 30

• Cresswell Pele Tower Walled Garden, Northumberland, June 30

• Capheaton Hall, Northumberland, July 6 and 7

• St Margaret's Allotments, Durham, July 14

• Brancepeth Village Gardens, Durham, July 20

• St Cuthbert's Hospice, Durham, July 28

• Middleton Hall Retirement Village, Darlington, August 17

• Ravensford Farm, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, September 22