Open gardens galore across the Borders this weekend

Last year, the village’s garden owners celebrated 25 years of garden openings under Scotland’s Gardens (SG) scheme, raising £1,185.00 for the Riding for the Disabled Association’s (RDA) Monteviot group near Jedburgh.

The Yew Tree Allotments Association members, several of whom grow the famous championship Kelsae onion and leeks, the Yetholm Gipsy potato, chrysanthemums and gladioli, will be showing off their unique rain water collection and distribution system. The gardens are open on Sunday from 1pm-5.30pm. Admission is £4 (children under 10 free).

Away from Yetholm, Corbet Tower near Morebattle will throw open the gates to its charming Victorian garden this Saturday, July 9, from 2pm-5pm. Approached via an attractive woodland walk with lime avenue, this established garden includes a formal box parterred rose garden with old fashioned roses, a well stocked, traditional walled vegetable and cutting garden, and terraced lawns around the Victorian house and medieval peel tower. Admission is £5.

Over near Leitholm, there’s another chance to catch Anton’s Hill, a garden almost guaranteed to turn those with green fingers green with envy as the garden’s herbaceous borders and shrub rose walk are at their very best at this time of year, bursting with colour, shape and texture.

Anton’s Hill also features woodland walks with more than 20 varieties of oak, a stumpery, and a topiary family of elephants carved out of yew. Open on Sunday from 2pm-5pm. Admission is £4.

The gardens all offer refreshments, and welcome well-behaved dogs on leads. More information can be found at www.scotlandsgardens.org