Judith writes about her garden.

The garden has evolved gradually since we moved into the house 17 years ago. Then it was neglected and wild with an old gnarled apple tree in the centre, and a straight, narrow border running down each side with ubiquitous 'municipal park' type rose bushes and a few shade tolerant shrubs such as euonymus, current and laurel. It was completely overshadowed by an 80-year-old ash tree growing at the boundary fence in the garden next door but despite this I loved it for its dark, romantic, 'secret garden' atmosphere, especially in the spring when primroses flowered abundantly in the grass and amongst the old broken crazy-paving terrace.

I knew relatively little about gardening and over the next few years I struggled with the heavy clay, celandine-infested soil, making the usual mistake of trying to introduce plants totally unsuited to the conditions! It did slowly progress however, as nature has its own way of dealing with our errors and I soon realised that the plants that did survive were also the ones that thrived and flourished in damp shade. I learnt to recognise and encourage the self-sown seedlings of aquilegia, alchemilla and primrose and to divide herbaceous plants like sedums and hardy geraniums so gradually the beds became fuller and more interesting. The ash tree provided 20 - 30 bags of leaves each autumn that I collected to make leaf mould, so slowly the soil improved too. Year by year I dug up the worn-out roses until now none remain.

Eight years ago the ash tree was felled and everything changed! Our south-east facing garden suddenly became light and sunny and I discovered I was at last able to introduce a huge variety of plants that would have previously been impossible to grow. It was then that I enrolled on a two-year 'Plants and Planting' design course at Capel Manor College to gain more formal knowledge of the subject.

Now primroses thrive only at the shady far end of the garden which peaks in spring and early summer with a succession of snowdrops, ferns, self-seeded forget-me-nots, aquilegia, snake's head fritillery, wild strawberries and woodruff. Gradually I have carved out organic curvy lines from the grass and have acquired a fondness for loose, country-style planting, meshed with solid shapes and formality. Drifts of geraniums and rampant love-in-a-mist are anchored with disciplined evergreens including box, laurel, euonymus and holly that I clip into balls, cones and ruffs.

A garden is never static and currently I am experimenting with Mediterranean sun-loving plant combinations for the new gravel border by the terrace which leads into the main garden via a decked balcony. I have selected plants that will be suited to the lower rainfall and warmer winters we are now experiencing and much of my inspiration comes from Beth Chatto's books on the subject and her wonderful garden in Essex.

The garden is far from perfect and my battles with the inherited problems of celandine and Spanish bluebells are on-going. I avoid plants such as hostas and delphiniums because I am committed to not using slug pellets or insecticides and my aim is for an ecologically balanced garden where frogs, toads and ladybirds counteract the ravages of snails and greenfly. Slowly this is beginning to work.

I hope that people visiting the garden under the NGS scheme will enjoy its relaxed atmosphere and will find inspiration and encouragement in the fact that it has matured over time with limited resources or free time.

Maureen Lipman’s favourite garden, described by Harpers & Queen as among the most inspirational in England, is an evolving creation of its artist owners.

Reclaimed from bits of adjoining waste ground purchased over twenty years, the garden reveals its secrets in a series of visual surprises. Colourful pagodas overlook carp ponds and waterfalls. A blue marbled columned Baroque temple with 22ct gold lustred ceramic capitols designed and constructed by Earl Hyde nestles behind a weeping willow. Huge hostas spring out of antique chimney pots, and unusual containers overflow with imaginative plant combinations. Humour and colour abound!

Recent addition, Earl's American Gothic "Bates Motel" garden shed, inspired the "medieval " wall set with a stained glass window salvaged from the porch of the local Methodist Church demolished over 20 years ago. It encloses Susan's compost heap. Perfect recycling!

Behind the working studio, reclaimed from tarmac, lies the oriental area. Turquoise Raku-tiled mirrored walls topped with red trellis conceal the plant nursery with its large ‘red’ greenhouse. A trompe l’oeil mirrored archway leads the imagination towards unexplored spaces.

Featured on ITV News to publicise the 80th birthday of the NGS with Charlie Dimmock, this television and international press coverage draws numerous visitors; many remark on the peaceful atmosphere, and how the visit refreshes their spirits.

The Dallmans have lived here for 38 years and when they arrived the garden was completely overgrown, with an orchard of 38 trees, most of which were past their sell by date. They removed 30 of them creating an open area and the borders. This garden is a work in progress with them adding a new feature every year.