NGS Open Garden & Secret Craft Fair 2013

I opened our garden to the public for the National Gardens Scheme in June 2013 for the first time. However I always try and squeeze as much creativity as I can out of an opportunity – so also held a Secret Craft Fair and was delighted to have around 350 visitors over a fantastic weekend.

People enjoyed the garden, the teas and the cakes, and I spent a lot of time talking to folk about how the garden had developed over the last 15 years.

People were really pleased to find art and craft in the garden, and the relaxed atmosphere made it easy for people to chat with the artists about their work. People enjoyed buying gifts and treats, and art for their homes.

Art and craft was displayed throughout the garden on specially designed plinths. Helen Rhodes filled the greenhouse with ceramics and goodies and Helen Hallows covered the kitchen wall with collages and prints, and we had a marketplace set up in the living room. The surprises continued to the bottom of the garden, where I turned The Shed into a venue hosting The Raygun Consultancy on Saturday; then becoming a bed-sheet cinema on Sunday for the premiere screenings of the stop motion movie Peg Tango by Maxine Greer.

The artists were – artist and illustrators Helen Rhodes and Helen Hallows, printmaker Barry Bulsara, artist Jennie McCall, bath and body goodies by Christine Hawkins of The Apothecary Room, textile artist Craig Fellows, artist Maxine Greer and Raygun Consultant Martin Currie. Thank you to everyone that participated and visited, here are loads of pics.

Details of our 2014 event, taking place on the 7 & 8 June are here.