Open day at a private garden in Highgate

Half acre garden opened by the owner for the NGS on a couple of days per year -- entry fees go to charity.

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The garden is designed for all year interest making a tapestry of greens and yellows. A wild garden with mature trees giving a woodland feel. Brilliant for hide and seek and young explorers. Water garden, vistas, 19 paths, some leading to sunny clearings. Exceptional camellias and magnolia in late March.

The area near the house is formal with a lawn, the area beyond screen much less so, with fine compartments and features. Secret paths and unexpected views make this a magical place for children. Much use is made of evergreens and there are some exquisite shrubs, including a row of camellias down one wall and a massive Hydrangea petiolaris with a trunk as thick as a boxer's biceps. There are many species and varieties of a particular genus - five varieties of box and even more of ivies, for example. The owner describes it as a gold, green, yellow and red garden. The canal feature was restructured and enhanced into a water garden in autumn 1996