Yesterday I opened my garden for the first time for NGS. This was an ambitious plan on my part as the garden was a paddock when we arrived in 2014. There was nothing here thanks to the former residents, a herd of goats.
In 2018 I have battled with a wet, cold winter which left standing water on my low-lying, clay soil as recently as April, followed by the driest Summer for 57 years. 
Then, on the week of opening my garden, Thames Water decided to shut the lane to my house and put diversions in place. The final insult however was that the forecast was for rain!
The (NGS yellow) sunflowers were a market purchase to greet visitors on arrival and decorate the tea room aka the garage.
Sweet peas and dahlias in various shades of pink which I grow at work for Ali. I brought some of these home to decorate the tea tables.
I am pleased to report the afternoon was a great success: the rain held off, lots of people visited and perhaps most fun of all was that our very own Cathy joined by the Golfer came along. Cathy as we know is very knowledgeable about plants and floated around the garden chatting to visitors, answering questions. Meanwhile the Golfer did a sterling job, stood at the top of the lane waving traffic down towards the parking.
It was a really good day and I thought my garden did alright by the visitors. We raised just under £1400. Thank you to everyone who came.
Thank you to all my lovely helpers
The charities supported by NGS provide crucial care.
In memory of friends lost:
Paul
Heather
Jez
Jo
Joel
Domonic
Danny
And for those currently undergoing care
Lucy and little Daisy, Get well soon!
In a Vase on Monday. Thanks for reading. D.
digwithdorris.com 
Congratulations! If you can do it this year and raise so much for worthy causes – next year will be a doddle!
What fun to have Cathy and the Golfer to help on the day!
If you have some dates for next year, let me know – I’ll try to get there.
Next year!! Crikey I haven’t decided yet although I need to decide this month.
Maybe
Possibly
Especially if people like you make such nice offers
I sort of assumed you’d done the hardest part by getting accepted and opening for the first time, so next time won’t be such a huge amount of work extra to the gardening – but it all takes time and effort of course. Maybe you need a breather.
Just a breather to decide. You’re probably right, next time will be easier as a lot of the planning has been done.
Wow, well done!!!! That’s fabulous news. And how lovely that Cathy was there too. You raised a lot of money. I could add quite a few names to your list in memorium. Mum and I staunchly support NGS visiting gardens every weekend. Well done and all the best. Karen x
Thanks Karen. Sorry about your lost dear ones. I spoke to a few visitors who also support NGS through weekend visits such a worthy cause and enjoyable to boot
The most fun..? Stretching the truth a little, I think – but thanks anyway! It was a pleasure for both of us to support you and it was good to be able to talk to visitors about gardens and gardening as well as answering questions and agreeing how well you had done in just a few years. It was such a relief that the weather was kinder than we expected but I got the impression that many people would still have come even if it wasn’t. The deadline for a decision on next year seems to be a little later than usual so you can chill a bit first 😉 The sunflowers are great in a vase – I bought some Aldi ones when we went up to my Mums’s because I had forgotten to bring anything from home and she was delighted with them
Tired this evening after finishing off all the clearing away. Shall save deciding until the weekend I think.
I take it you are a yes ?
It’s certainly a yes for us. The first year is the most challenging but you know what you are doing now and can make decisions based on this year’s experiences – and hopefully the PBB would not bother you another time. There was such a lot of interest this year and of course your garden will only get better – but whether or not you decide to do it again you have successfully risen to the challenge and done your bit, so well done (and hopefully you enjoyed at least some of the day!)
It was lovely and rather surreal to see the garden full of people and to chat to them. It has been an emotional journey to get the garden to this point for this goal and it has left me rather tired now. I shall recharge and in likelihood say yes
Congratulations on the opening, I’m sure it was a lot of work but also fun and for such a good cause. It makes me wish I lived in England so I could open mine.
Perhaps you could start the first overseas branch.?! It was a really enjoyable afternoon thanks to all the help and lovely visitors.
The tax situation here doesn’t favour these charity events. You have to give out hand written receipts for anything that is sold (even privately). It would take for ever and be a nightmare.
That is unreal, I had no idea. I should Imagine that stops most charity work?
Yes pretty much. I think Italy and Greece have similar problems with their tax laws. It means you can’t legally sell a few plants to friends or anyone who does visit the garden; you never know who might be with the Finance police. It is very difficult for small groups to get charity status.
How disappointing and short sighted by government. Private charity work is so commonplace here and so rewarding for those taking part often using it to help overcome grief or help support a very ill individual. Or it can help an individual focus on fitness to raise money for a favourite charity. I think some charities here could collapse without such support. I had no idea Christina
Congrats on the open garden…..love the vases!
Thanks Donna
Sunflowers with a bit of prairie grass in a coffee pot looks quite Okie! Such impeccable taste!
Ha thank you!
Congratulations on creating a wonderful garden and hosting a successful open gardens day.
Thank you very much
Lovely post and pictures. Good for you for opening your garden in support of the NGS, and well done on raising such an impressive amount. xx
Thanks Flighty
Congratulations on such a successful first opening! It was great to hear how it went. Such a lot of work, yet so, so worthwhile. (Check with your county organiser, but perhaps there are still two deadlines – one to say you’re interested but a virtual second, so, if you change your mind a bit later in the autumn, the entry can be withdrawn before next year’s book goes to print.)
Thank you Kate
Dear Dorris
Well done. Hope you enjoyed showing off your hard work. Looks lovely in the photos.
Love Gail
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Thank you Gail. Did your friend come along? The forecast was awful and the lane to the house was shut!
Congratulations! I loved even the flowers embroidered on the table cloths!
The tablecloth belongs to my mum and I think it was her handy work when she was a young girl