Gardeners bursting with pride and gardens bursting with blooms can apply to join the scheme each year to provide support for nursing, caring and gardening charities. Thousands of gardens across the country are listed in the NGS Yellow Book and they have raised around £40million.
There is no doubt people will beat a path to Mr Denby's garden gate at Yewbarrow House when it opens. With a climate more akin to Cornwall than Cumbria, it provides scope for exotic planting, including tree dahlias from Mexico. Here we pick ten of the best for Lancashire Life readers to visit starting with Mr Denby's Grange-over- Sands paradise at the top.
1 Yewbarrow House, Hampsfell Road, Grange-over- Sands. LA11 6BE. Open 11am-4pm on Sundays - June 1, July 6, August 3 and September 7. Admission £3, children free. Mediterranean-style with restored Victorian walled kicten garden, exotic gravel garden, Japanese hot spring pool, dahlia trial beds and orangery.
2 Conishead Priory, Coast Road, Ulverston. LA12 9QQ. Open 2-5pm for NGS Sunday, May 4. Admission £3, children free. Also open weekends and Bank Holidays until the end of October with some exceptions. Tel: 01229 584029 for details. Forty acres of gardens and woodland surrounding historic mansion and peaceful temple garden.
3 Fell Yeat, Casterton, near Kirkby Lonsdale, LA6 2JW. Open Sunday, May 18 1pm-5pm (admission £3) and Wednesday, August 6, 6pm-9pm (£4 with wine). One acre country garden with unusual trees, shrubs and some topiary. Small woodland garden and national collection of ligularia.
4 The Grange, Casterton. LA6 2LD. Open Saturday, July 12, 12-5pm. Admission £3, children free. Over six acres with woodland, interesting trees and ferns. More formal garden around the house, packed herbaceous borders and recently planted box, yew and lavender.
5 Halecat, Witherslack, LA11 6RU. Open Sundays May 25, June 22 and July 20. Admission £2, children free. Medium-sized garden with mix borders, sunken garden, gazebo, cherries, wild flower meadow and beautiful views over Kent estuary.
6 Pear Tree Cottage, Dalton, Burton-in-Kendal. LA6 1NN. Open Sunday, July 20, 11am-5pm and evening opening (£4 with wine) Wednesday, June 25 6- 9pm. Peaceful garden, harmonising with its rural setting. Diverse planting area, including rambling roses, bog garden, fernery. Much to interest the plantsman and woman.
7 Lower Rowell Farm, Milnthorpe, LA7 7LU. Admission £3, children free. Open May 17 and 18, 1- 5pm. Admission £3, children free. Just under an acre with borders and beds with interesting herbaceous perennials, retro greenhouse and vegetable plots. Peaceful with open views.
8 Sizergh Castle, near Kendal. LA8 8AE. Open for NGS Saturdays July 19 and August 16, 11am-5pm. Amission: £4.25, children £2.15. National Trust's largest limestone rock garden plus collection of Japanese maples, dwarf conifers, water garden, specimen roses and terraced garden.
9 Stone Edge, Jack Hill, Allithwaite, LA11 7QB. Visitors welcome by appointment all year, contact 015395 33895. Admission £3.50, children free. A garden in harmony with nature with lavender garden, spectacular specimens forming a Mediterranean garden and fantastic views over Morecambe Bay.
10 Summerdale House, Nook, near Lupton. LA6 1PE. Open on Sundays April 6, May 4 and June 15, 11am-5pm. Admission £3.50, children free. Part-walled country garden, restored and developed over the last ten years. Beautiful setting and fine views with old orchard and new meadow planting.
You can find many more gardens in Lancashire and the Lake District by logging onto www.ngs.org.uk where you can also order The Yellow Book 2008.
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