Some less spectacular plants that still play a crucial role in the Lewis Cottage garden.

Compost, hedges, keeping you busy and suggestions of other garden visits.

The 2022 National Garden Scheme’s brochure features their beautiful garden Lewis Cottage garden.

As the year draws to a close, most gardeners are taking a well earned rest. But in the Lewis Cottage garden life is busier than ever. From gathering leaves and moving pots to planting hedges and ordering seeds, there are no end of jobs to be done in December, says Richard Orton.

Work never stops at Lewis Cottage.

While the days are getting shorter and the mood is more relaxed, there is still plenty to do.

It’s the height of summer and the garden is running away with itself; armfuls of veg to be picked, hedges needing to be trimmed and lawns to be mowed. In his magnificent garden at Lewis Cottage, Richard Orton admits that he sometimes feels overwhelmed by it all. But the sheer bountifulness of it all easily pushes those feelings aside and allows him a little time to appreciate the little triumphs and successes of the year so far. 

Last month the owners of Lewis Cottage celebrated 10 years of opening their garden in support of the National Gardens Scheme, an organisation that has been encouraging the public to visit privately owned gardens since 1927. Here Richard Orton reports on how the scheme has not just made a huge contribution to health charities but has motivated him and his friend Michael Pell to continue developing their special garden.