After 10 years of opening their 2 acre coastal garden for the National Gardens Scheme, Will and Jackie have decided that this year’s event at the beginning of June will be their last. They have welcomed over 5000 visitors to The Lookout since first opening the garden for charity back in 2008, and with help from family, friends and numerous villagers, have raised nearly £30,000 for national and local charities.
Over that time the lookout has featured in many national magazines including Good Housekeeping and Coast, and starred in Alan Titchmarsh’s TV series Britain’s Best Back Gardens as one of his favourites. Carole Klein liked it too, calling it ‘truly inspirational’ during her visit to film the BBC’s Open Garden series.
The Lookout occupies what used to be the derelict 1920s-built mussel purification station. The site was saved from the sea and has undergone an incredible transformation over the last 16 years. The garden is a wildlife friendly 2 acres, sitting with its toes in the Exe estuary. Beachcomed objects sit amongst naturalistic seaside planting to create a relaxed, washed up on the beach feel. It also has a mini meadow, ferny copse and sheltered Mediterranean courtyard garden to explore, with plenty of places to stop and take in the extensive views, estuary birdlife and salted air.
Cream teas and other refreshments will be served from the Boathouse pop-up café and there will be lots of lovely plants for sale alongside Love Local’s quality crafts and gifts. There is a giant sandpit for children with buckets and spades provided, and a photographic display showing how the garden has been lovingly developed out of the once derelict shellfish factory.
The garden will open come rain or shine on Friday, 2 June from 2 to 5 PM and on Sunday, 4 June from 2 to 6 PM.
Adults £4.50, children free. Car parking in the adjacent field, bike parking on site. No dogs except guide dogs.
