WILLOWBROOK Hospice will be opening its award winning gardens to the public in August as part of the National Gardens Scheme’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The gardens at Willowbrook, in Portico Lane, are one of only 10 hospice gardens chosen to participate in the NGS this year.

The gardens are spread across five acres and have different areas of interest including the Japanese garden, water features, the kitchen garden and formal gardens.

Nichola Saunders, head of fundraising at Willowbrook, said: “We’re really proud of our beautiful gardens which have been designed to provide relaxing spaces for our patients and their families and friends to relax and enjoy.

"The hard work of our gardeners and volunteers has seen the gardens recognised with four successive gold medals in the RHS North West in Bloom Annual Competition and it’s wonderful that members of the public will be able to come along to see the gardens for themselves.”

The hospice gardens will be open on Saturday and Sunday, 12 and 13 August, from 11am-4pm. Entry is £3 for adults and free for children with profits going towards the NGS fund for nursing and caring charities.