GLOUCESTERSHIRE gardens will be opening up as part of the National Gardens Scheme for the Festival Weekend on June 4-5.

This marks the fourth Festival Weekend, organised by the National Gardens Scheme across England and Wales.

Some 400 gardens across England and Wales will open their gates to the public to raise money for charity and 50,000 garden lovers are expected to visit over the weekend.

This year there will be an added feature of being able to view the gardens open near you through the NGS app.

Here are some of the Gloucestershire gardens open over the Festival Weekend:

Saturday, June 4

  •  Cotswold Farm, Duntisbourne Abbots, GL7 7JS (cotswoldfarmgardens.org.uk).

An Arts & Crafts garden overlooking a secluded valley. The terraced garden was designed in the 1930s by the Cotswold-based architect and craftsman, Norman Jewson.

Features include shrubs, trees, shrub roses, a white border, allotments in an old walled garden, hundreds of wild flowers and Roman snails.

Also open Sunday, June 5. 2-5pm both days.

  •  Hookshouse Pottery, Tetbury, GL8 8TZ (hookshousepottery.co.uk).

This garden is full of contrasts, with open views and secret corners, and with a wide variety of perennial planting.

A water garden features unfenced ponds and flowform cascades, while the kitchen garden, run on organic principles, has raised beds and an orchard.

Also open Sunday, June 5. 11am-6pm both days.

  •  Four gardens will be opening at Longhope, GL17 0NA, over the Festival Weekend.

This small valley village has a 12th-century church.The gardens reveal contrasting planting styles. A spectacular view is offered by Chessgrove Cottage which also leads on to 12 acres of woodland. 3 Church Road, a long garden, divided into rooms, has a large collection of hardy geraniums. Springfield House is a large, enclosed terraced garden with trees and shrubs set between sweeping borders and a wildlife pond. Woodbine Cottage is a traditional garden with tranquil planting.

Open from 12-5pm on Saturday and from 2-6pm on Sunday, June 5.

Sunday 5 June

  • Three gardens are opening in Culkerton village GL8 8SX, including Dillycot, Ox Barn and The Granary. Three very different gardens, featuring herbaceous planting, orchards, kitchen gardens and biodynamic gardening. Dillycot (pix attached) has formal structure and plant-packed borders.

Open from 2-5.30pm.

  •  Hodges Barn, Shipton Moyne, GL8 8PR.

An unusual 15th-century house, formerly a dovecote. It surrounded by walls up which scramble climbing and rambling roses, clematis and vines, with structure given by hydrangeas and yew hedging and topiary. Herbaceous borders, a water garden and a woodland garden.

Also open on Monday, June 6. Both days 2-6pm.

  •  Highnam Court, Gloucester, GL2 8DP.

A 40-acre Victorian landscaped garden. Lakes, shrubberies and listed Pulhamite water gardens with grotto and fernery. Of particular interest for art lovers are the numerous wood carvings which are one of the features of this garden.

Open 11am-5pm.

  •  The Manor at Little Compton, GL56 0RZ. Divided into rooms, it features long herbaceous borders, a deer walk, Japanese garden, flower garden, and an arboretum with specimen trees. And for companions less interested in gardening, croquet and tennis is laid on.

Open from 2-5pm.