THE owners of three of Helensburgh’s finest gardens opened their gates to members of the public on Sunday afternoon as part of a nationwide charity fund-raising drive.

Tom and Tricia Stewart at High Glenan, the Bakers at nearby Westburn, and Stewart and Sue Campbell in Duchess Park, were the joint hosts of a day out for visitors keen to take in a fresh spring day and raise money for local and national good causes - and to further dispel the lingering doom and gloom of the long lockdown of recent months.

The annual initiative, created by the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme (SGS), sees a range of private gardens across Scotland open up to the public to raise money for hundreds of charities.

Guided wildflower walks through the Duchess Wood, next door to the Campbells’ home, were provided during the afternoon, with homemade teas and a plant stall also set up to accompany the festivities.

Patricia Stewart, the SGS organiser for the Helensburgh district, said: “It was an amazing day. We had 235 visitors to the three gardens, which was great.

“This is the 90th anniversary of the scheme, we’ve raised a lot of money in the past.

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“This year we made just under £2,000, in which 40 per cent will go to Scotland’s Gardens Scheme for their charities and insurance and other costs, the other 60 per cent to the gardens’ owners and their chosen charities - St Michael and All Angels Church, Rhu and Shandon Parish Church, and the Friends of Duchess Woods.

“It was a fantastic day - we had lots of helpers who gave up their time and people made baking.

“The lockdown had left everyone weary, but it was so nice to see people. They saw friends and family going round the gardens, a lot of smiling faces, and a few burnt ones from volunteers from working all day - they didn’t expect the sun!

“We’d like to thank all the garden owners for opening the gardens, all the volunteers who made the day so successful, and all the visitors who made the day special and supported the gardens on the day out.”

Other enthusiastic SGS supporters in the Helensburgh area include Mike and Sue Thornley at Glenarn Garden in Rhu, which is open each day from dawn to dusk until September 21.

And a short distance away from Helensburgh, the grounds of Ross Priory in Gartocharn will be open for charity from 2-5pm this Sunday, May 23, with all proceeds being split between the SGS, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, and the Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.