Vicarage opens its gardens

A VICTORIAN vicarage garden in Rickling is being opened up to the public by its owner as part of a national scheme. The Old Vicarage, surrounded by one-and-a-half acres of mature gardens, is quintessentially English. An old wall and well-established hedge

A VICTORIAN vicarage garden in Rickling is being opened up to the public by its owner as part of a national scheme.

The Old Vicarage, surrounded by one-and-a-half acres of mature gardens, is quintessentially English.

An old wall and well-established hedges provide shelter and an excellent backdrop to large closely planted borders, filled with a mixture of shrubs, herbaceous plants and old roses. A lily pond, a formal rose garden, an orchard and a small walled vegetable garden completed the victorian picture.

An arch built through a hedge gives glimpses of the medieval Rickling Church from the grounds of the Old Vicarage and this add to the garden's charm.

Owner Tessa Firmin is opening up the garden during The National Gardens Scheme. She said: "I am adding my own colour touches and design ideas to this beautifully designed garden but I have tried very hard to keep the essence of a wonderful victorian vicarage garden.

"We will be serving home made teas on the lawn and terrace - what could be more perfect in June!"

The Old Vicarage, at Church End, Rickling CB11 3YL is open on Sunday June 7 from 2-5pm. Admission is �3.50, children go free.

The National Garden Scheme selects hundreds of residential gardens every year to be opened for public viewings. Last year visitors raised more than �3m for charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer and Help the Hospices. The NGS website www.ngs.org.uk has full details of all open gardens.