Unusual plants and views at Shropshire gardens this weekend

Six gardens in a village near Bridgnorth will be open this weekend as part of the National Garden Scheme.

The gardens at Morville Hall, The Dower House, 1 and 2 The Gate House, The Cottage and South Pavilion will be throwing open their gates on Sunday (9) between 2pm-5pm.

Homemade cakes and afternoon teas will be on sale at the village church and entrance to the gardens is £6 for adults.

The Dower House is a one-and-a-half acre sequence of gardens has been planted in various historical styles designed to tell the history of Morville Hall, including a turf maze, medieval cloister garden, Victorian rose border, Elizabethan knot garden, Edwardian fruit and vegetable garden, C18th canal garden, wild garden.

Morville Hall has a three acre garden with views across the Mor Valley. Features include a box parterre, mature shrub borders, pond garden and medieval stew pond.

The other gardens include a walled garden and a cottage garden with winding paths amidst trees, shrubs and colourful borders.

Other gardens open in Shropshire this weekend are The Old Vicarage at Craven Arms which is open on Saturday (8) between 2pm and 6pm.

It is a revived, old vicarage garden with features and plants including buddleia globosa and oriental poppies. In the grounds is 'The Tree', an enormous Leyland cypress, which has been recognised as having the fifth biggest girth in the world. The most dramatic feature is a formal wisteria allee with alliums - which the owner described as 'a symphony of mauve and purple'.

Home-made teas will be served in Hightown Community Hall next door and admission is £5 for adults.

Stockton Mill at Welshpool will be open on Saturday and Sunday between 2pm-5pm.

The peaceful three acre garden is by the river Camlad in Vale of Montgomery. The house stands next to C19th Grade II listed mill. Trees, which were mainly planted 30 years ago, have now matured into woodland including Himalayan Birch, Himalayan Cherry, Dogwoods and varieties of unusual conifers. There are extensive shrub and herbaceous borders with views, lawns and walks by the river and two wildlife ponds.

Home-made teas will be served and entrance costs £3.50 per adult.

On Sunday, Hargrove at Church Stretton will be open for the first time between 1pm and 6pm.

Approached by a tree lined drive through parkland bordered by ancient woodland, the two acre gardens surround a contemporary country house. There are water features, walled herb and soft fruit gardens with cascading roses, an orchard and extensive random flower beds.

Tea, coffee and soft drinks with home baked cream teas and cakes will be available and admission costs £6.

The 60 acre landscaped garden at Hodnet Hall, Market Drayton has a series of lakes and pools; forest trees, flowers, shrubs and a kitchen garden. It is open on Sunday (9) between 11am and 5pm and entrance costs £7.50 for adults and £1 per child.

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 private gardens in England and Wales, and raises money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake.