Sidmouth’s Secluded Gardens scheme gets new blood

Eight of 10 gardens are new to this year’s Sidmouth’s Secluded Gardens event organised by Sidmouth in Bloom

IT is not often one can get a look at other people’s gardens, but Sidmouth in Bloom has the answer.

This year, its Secluded Gardens event, from Thursday, June 30 to Tuesday July 5, has eight new gardens opening out of the 10 on show.

Programmes, which admit you to all the gardens, are �5 and show a list of the owners and their gardens, a description of what’s in store and the times they open.

“The �5 charge works out to 50p a garden,” said Joy Seward, president of Sidmouth in Bloom.

Jean and John Twibell, pictured in their garden at Farthingwood, Broadway, own one of the eight new gardens opening under the Secluded Gardens banner.

They moved to Sidmouth nearly four years ago and “started from scratch” on their garden, which includes more than two acres of woodland, a natural pond, steep paths, native plants, fruit, vegetables and chickens and bees.

Jean said: “The garden is not all hanging baskets and bedding borders, it is more a sustainable garden.”

Husband John holds the Plant Heritage National Collection of Artemisia, “which we brought with us in a furniture van.”

Programmes to see the gardens, some of which offer teas, are available from Sidmouth Information Centre at the Ham.

Money raised goes towards the cost of providing the town’s floral displays.