East Ruston Old Vicarage’s opening on October 3rd 2009 will bring the NGS garden season to a close.

With very few rainy open garden days this year, Norfolk National Gardens Scheme visitor numbers have bloomed. This year with over ninety open days, nearly seventy gardens including fourteen new ones, visitors to the norfolkgardens website have increased by thirty five percent. The increased interest in grow your own and the “Do Local” campaign has encouraged more local days out.

However the Yellow Book and the Norfolk Gardens guide has encouraged visitors from bordering and other counties. The national input from coach tours promoted by the RHS and NGS have put Norfolk on the map for garden enthusiasts.

Many private gardens have been featured in garden magazines nationally and internationally, this has led to enquiries from international garden tours and foreign visitors. By winning the Daily Mail’s Best Garden of the Year Award, Jungle Garden also highlighted the high standard of NGS gardens in Norwich and Norfolk.

Norfolk NGS County Organiser Anthea Foster said “The hot summer days may have not been the best climate change for many gardens but were ideal to entice garden visitors. With many new and traditional gardens, Norfolk has a lot to offer the enthusiast and the novice gardener.

The Norfolk National Gardens Scheme open gardens have had a tremendous year which, in the first instance, is due to the support of the people who visited the gardens, an anticipated 180,000 visitors. In the second instance, thanks should be given to the garden owners and their helpers.

Also to the many commercial gardens and nurseries, whose sponsorship every year produces a great Norfolk Guide to highlight the horticultural product of the county. NGS Ambassador Alan Gray of East Ruston Old Vicarage and Will Giles of The Exotic Garden also play a huge role in promoting the open gardens on the radio and in the press.

It is a community of garden lovers and enthusiasts that is spread across the county. If you were one of the visitors this summer please continue your support in 2010 or open your garden for the NGS!”

If your garden is of high quality, character and at least forty-five minutes interest Contact County Organiser Fiona Black to discuss opening your garden. Tel 01692 650247 or visit www.norfolkgardens.org