Gainsborough gardeners recognised for 30 years of charity work

The garden at Hall Farm, Harpswell, Gainsborough is part for the National Garden Scheme and is owned by Pam and Mark Tatum.

Hall Farm is a three acre garden which includes a sunken garden, courtyard with rill, walled Mediterranean garden, giant chess set, flower and grass meadow.

It is a short walk to the medieval moat which surrounds over an acre of wild, semi-woodland garden with a picnic table, benches and ‘beach’.

Pam said: “It’s hard to remember exactly how we first became involved with opening our garden in aid of the National Garden Scheme 30 years ago.

"The organisation was founded in in 1927 when garden owners were asked to open their gardens in aid of district nurses.

"Since then it has expanded and now supports a number of charities, principally the major cancer charities.

"In 1991 our plant nursery was becoming well established and alongside the nursery the garden was also developing where visitors could see many of the plants available in the nursery that were established in the garden.

"I closed the nursery ten years ago when I reached retirement age and this has given me more time to concentrate on the garden.

"Over the years we have opened our garden two, or sometimes three, times during the summer months in aid of the National Garden Scheme but have now decided to open just once a year for our September opening.

"This event on the first Sunday of the month is always popular as visitors are invited to collect ripe seed from around the garden and hundreds of small paper envelopes are distributed to those who would like to try their hand at ‘growing their own’.

“This year we look forward, Covid restrictions permitting, to welcoming visitors to the garden on Sunday, September 5 from 1pm to 5pm.”

Pam and Mark have been presented with an engraved sundial to mark their 30 years of being part of the National Garden Scheme.