The National Garden Scheme has announced a record donation of £3.1 million from funds raised at garden openings in 2017, a figure which has nearly doubled in ten years and now brings the total donated to beneficiary charities since NGS was founded in 1927 to some £55 million.

Beneficiaries include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie and Hospice UK, who each receive £500,000 from funds raised in 2017. Annual donations continue to Carers Trust, Queen’s Nursing Institute, Parkinson’s UK and Perennial, as well as MS Society, which is NGS’ guest charity for the third and final year.

Donations to charities who are actively promoting the health benefits of gardens have been increased this year. They include two new beneficiaries, Leonard Cheshire and Maggie’s Centres.

Over £190,000 has also been donated to projects that support training gardeners, such as those at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the Professional Gardener’s Trust.

The NGS is Macmillan Cancer Support’s largest single donor, having donated nearly £17 million since the partnership began in 1985.

George Plumptre, CEO of National Garden Scheme, said: "It’s been another record breaking year for the National Garden Scheme and we are extremely pleased to be able to fund even more vital work in the areas that we are passionate about - nursing, gardens and health, and support for training gardeners. Nursing has never needed our support more than at the moment and I am delighted that some of our funding is continuing to support special training and career development for a variety of nurses.

"The National Garden Scheme is hugely grateful for everything our garden owners and volunteers have done in 2017. They have worked tirelessly to open their exceptional gardens to the public and provide delicious tea and cake to thousands of visitors, who in turn generously support the National Garden Scheme, come rain or shine."

There are over 3,700 private gardens open to the public in 2018, all of which can be found by visiting ngs.org.uk, or in the Garden Visitor’s Handbook, which is published annually, available via the NGS shop and book retailers.

Many Dorset gardens are taking part in the scheme including Staddlestones in Wimborne, Bisterne Manor in Ringwood, and Deans Court and Knoll Gardens in Wimborne.