Gardeners needed for charity scheme

KEEN gardeners who want to show their garden and raise money for charity are being sought by the Open Gardens scheme – which raised €12,000 this year with 75 gardens open in 13 departments.

Based on the UK National Gardens Scheme, where visitors are charged a small sum which goes to charity, it is innovative for France and Open Gardens president Michael Moat says it has been such a success it has potential to go national and raise a lot more money.

“It is wonderful to think France may one day have its own equivalent of the ‘Yellow Book’, the name given to the UK National Gardens Scheme which started in 1927 and now has more than 3,800 gardens taking part.”

The association is actively looking for new gardens, members and co-ordinators to join the scheme and Mr Moat said the challenge was to be able to organise and run the scheme well while it expands.

For the moment Open Gardens is raising funds for A Chacun son Everest, a French charity organising activities for children with, or in remission from, cancer or leukaemia, but Mr Moat said that with the scheme’s expansion it planned to help other charities as well.

He said the success is both frightening and, at the same time, hugely exciting: “Frightening insofar as what started as a trial has the potential to become within five years a national project which is truly innovative and possibly unique in France, and exciting because the notion that we could be in the position of having such a huge financial resource to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves, is simply wonderful.”

Gardeners who are interested in taking part can find out more on the website www.opengardens.eu and contact Mr Moat by email mick[at]opengardens.eu or 05 55 63 43 12