The National Garden Scheme is delighted to welcome Dr Richard Claxton as our new Chief Executive.
Richard, who worked as a GP in Tonbridge for 23 years has also written for Gardens Illustrated and Hortus Journal, worked in Garden Design, and been a volunteer guide at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, and a Trustee of Greenfingers Charity. He started his new role on 1st October.
BBC TV presenter, keen gardener and National Garden Scheme Ambassador, Fiona Bruce hosts our very special National Garden Scheme Ask the Experts at the Royal Geographical Society on Tuesday 2nd December at 7pm. Answering a range of pre-submitted audience questions and covering all aspects of gardens and gardening will be a panel of leading gardening broadcasters and professionals, including Arit Anderson, Danny Clarke, Rachel de Thame, Joe Swift and Martha Swales.
You can now pre-order our Garden Visitor’s Handbook 2026. It will arrive hot off the press at the start of the garden visiting season next year offering you thousands of gardens to explore including new horticultural gems and old favourites to revisit. Or browse our range of gifts – all inspired by the National Garden Scheme. Every purchase you make will help support the National Garden Scheme and the vital nursing and health beneficiaries we support.
The National Garden Scheme gives visitors unique access to over 3,300 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. We can’t do this without the wonderful support of our garden owners. Find out more about opening your garden and being part of the wonderful National Garden Scheme family.
2024 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227. The impact of these donations to our major nursing and health beneficiaries means that thousands of people who live with health conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s, who have poor mental health, or who struggle financially as unpaid carers, have been supported by our funding of the nurses, health professionals and case workers who support them. Our funding also provides support to those in the Gardens and Health sector, to community gardens and to those working in horticulture.
Sign up to hear more about gardens, events and our
activities throughout the year
£500,000
£450,000
£450,000
£450,000
£350,000
£350,000
£122,227
£90,000
£80,000
£25,000
£302,000
£232,000
