NATURE lovers in Helensburgh and Lomond will get a rare opportunity to see inside one of the area's most spectacular gardens at a special event for charity.

The Linn Botanic Garden in Cove will open for selected dates in August to raise cash for the Scotland's Gardens Scheme's charities and for the Scottish Refugee Council.

The opening will be a chance to see the restoration work under way at the garden, where large sections of the old plant collection remain intact.

Organisers say advance booking is essential and that parking is very limited.

Tickets are on sale for slots on Saturday and Sunday, August 10 and 11 from 10am to 1pm annd 1pm to 4pm.

And there are further bookings available from Monday, August 12 until Friday, August 16, from 1pm to 4pm each day.

In addition, in August 10, there will be a book launch at 5pm featuring recent artists in residence at The Linn and an opportunity for a question and answer session.

Cove Burgh Hall will host the event featuring work by photographer Borish Hamilton and illustrator Hazel French.

Tickets cost £6 for the garden only and £10 for garden entry and the book launch on the Saturday. Supervised children can visit the garden for free.

Visitors will be able to explore what has been restored, discuss the plans to complete the repair work and opportunities to develop them for the future.

Organisers did ask the public to remember the gardens are a "long way from being the finished article just yet".

Tickets can be purchased at https://scotlandsgardens.org/the-linn/