Luton's Keech Hospice to open its amazing gardens for charity

A Luton charity is opening its gardens to the general public for the first time this Spring.

Keech Hospice is taking part in the National Garden Scheme, which provides access to exceptional private gardens, while raising money for charity.

The main garden at Keech, on Great Bramingham Lane, has been designed by gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh and was unveiled in 2014. It features a large pond, mature trees, hedgerows, and multiple wildlife friendly plants.

There is also more traditional planting, a children's play area and a memorial pathway winding past statues, benches and a beautiful summerhouse.

Raised flowerbeds created from gabions are perfect for encouraging bugs and wildlife and there are plants to attract bees. All of the bedrooms at the hospice look out over the gardens which open to the public twice next year, the first date being March 27, 2022.

The Bedfordshire branch of the National Garden Scheme is wrapping up 2021 by celebrating a record-breaking year in fundraising. The Bedfordshire team collected a total of £40,031.90, a 5% increase on pre-pandemic 2019 proceeds, and a 16% increase in visitor numbers.

The introduction of a pre-booking system and a suspension of the traditional pay-on-the-gate approach, helped draw the crowds. The funds were raised through open gardens, plant sales, refreshments, donations and talks throughout the county.

National Garden Scheme Bedfordshire County Organiser Indi Jackson believes 2021 could be the foundation for building another record-breaking year in fundraising proceeds. “Despite an early lockdown in 2021 which led to the cancellation of the first major event of the year in February, we have still managed to surpass our previous fundraising record. With even more gardens opening for Bedfordshire in 2022, we are hopeful that we will be able to raise even more money for our nursing beneficiaries.”

The 2022 open garden season will kick off in Bedfordshire with the popular and enchanting Swiss Garden opening on Thursday, February 24, returning to the open gardens roster after a long hiatus.

The 2022 calendar for open gardens in Bedfordshire is now available online at ngs.org.uk/bedfordshire and the booklets will be distributed throughout the county in early February.