A HUGE variety of stunning gardens across England and Wales will open their gates to the public over June 7 and 8, for the second ever National Gardens Festival Weekend.

With more than 350 gardens opening, the festival is set to be the biggest garden opening event of the year.

It will also raise thousands of pounds for the National Gardens Scheme’s beneficiary charities, which include Marie Curie Cancer Care and Carers Trust.

Most of the gardens opening for the festival are privately owned and are not normally open to the public. Admission prices are usually around £4 for adults and in many cases free for children under 16.

Some gardens may have special activities taking place, such as art and sculpture collections on display, or live music, and nearly all offer teas and cakes.

Local gardens include the following, but for a comprehensive list visit ngs.org.uk.

Saturday, June 7 Atcombe Court, South Woodchester, 2pm-6pm, plants and teas, 12-acre grounds. Terraced herbaceous borders, lawns, extensive shrubberies and long peony border. Woodland walk through beechwood. Delightful views. Display of work by Minchinghampton Botanical Art Group.

Sunday, June 8 Blockley Gardens, near Moreton-in-Marsh, 2pm-6pm, teas, popular hillside village with nine varied high quality well stocked gardens, some unsafe for small children.

Hodges Barn, Shipton Moyne near Tetbury, 2pm-6pm, rambling plants on Cotswold walls with contrasting formal hedges; mixed shrub and herbaceous borders. Water and woodland gardens.

Sandywell Barn House, Whittington near Cheltenham, 11am to 5pm, plants and teas, plantaholic designer’s own two-and-a-half acre walled garden with traditional and contemporary features.

Monday, June 9 Hodges Barn, Shipton Moyne near Tetbury, 2pm-6pm, rambling plants on Cotswold walls with contrasting formal hedges; mixed shrub and herbaceous borders. Water and woodland gardens.

Wednesday, June 11 Campden House, Chipping Campden, 2pm-6pm, teas, two acres featuring mixed borders, woodland walk and vegetable garden set in fine parkland in hidden valley.

Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden,Chipping Campden, 2pm-6pm. Small tranquil walled garden features entirely plants, shrubs and trees introduced by Ernest Wilson.

Rockcliffe, near Lower Swell, Stow-on-the-Wold, 11am-6pm, plants and teas, eight-acre traditional English garden with roses, herbaceous borders and topiary birds flanking path to dovecot; walled kitchen garden and dramatic pond.

Trench Hill, Sheepscombe near Stroud, 2pm-6pm, plants and teas, three acre organic garden with mixed borders, vegetables plots, woodland, ponds, wooden sculptures and panoramic views.

Other gardens open: Sunday, June 8 Woodlands Farm, Rushley Lane, Winchcombe, is open for Cobalt, 2pm-6pm. Beautiful double borders with a ornamental pond. Mixed herbaceous borders and vegetable beds, cottage borders, a parterre and a new prairie style border. Beautiful views of the Cotswolds in many directions. Teas. Admission £5 per adult, under 16s free.