Middleton Hall Retirement Village celebrated another successful year for its National Garden Scheme open day, attracting a record number of 155 visitors and raising £755.90 for nursing and health charities.

Smiling crowds of garden-lovers and tea and cake enthusiasts enjoyed the annual event, which is part of a country-wide initiative to open gardens to raise money for nursing and health charities.

The occasion on Saturday 17 August offered a rare opportunity for visitors to look around the award-winning 45-acre estate at the retirement village and explore the site’s extensive gardens and woodlands.

Many joined the guided tours hosted by members of Middleton Hall’s Estates team and residents who live in the village’s independently-owned retirement properties.

Earlier this year, Middleton Hall Retirement Village’s Estates team were crowned winners of the Best Outdoor Space award at the prestigious national Care Home Awards and the open day allowed the team to showcase their handiwork.

Highlights for visitors included areas with specialist planting including the Japanese garden, fernery and the wetlands, the village’s allotments, two orchards, formal lawns and the sweeping entrance driveway featuring a lime tree avenue.

Information boards throughout the site explained the team’s aims for the estate such as the planting round the main reception area being chosen to reflect its historic origins, the design of the wetlands, lake and pond encouraging and supporting wildlife and the natural environment and the lifestyle enjoyed by the village’s resident chickens and ducks.

Visitors also enjoyed a choice of walks through the estate’s extensive woodland as well as the chance to enjoy a cup of tea, slice of cake and home-made scones.

Estates Manager Bryan Moore said: “It was wonderful to welcome so many people to this year’s National Garden Scheme open day. We’re very proud of our estate and it was great to have the chance to show it off to the public and to raise an impressive amount for charity.

“The team worked incredibly hard to get the gardens ready for visitors and we were fortunate to have some wonderful support on the day from volunteers who live in the village’s independent retirement properties.

“We’re already planning for next year so watch this space for our 2025 event.”

Margaret Stamper, Assistant County Organiser for the National Garden Scheme said: “This is an excellent result for a single garden so very well done to everyone concerned and many thanks from all of us on the NGS Co. Durham team.”

Enjoy a gallery of photos from the day, below

A special thank you to the estates team for their dedication and hard work in creating such a beautiful space.