In any association there are many people who work behind the scenes and who are rarely acknowledged and whose work is vital.
President of Open Gardens / Jardins Ouverts, Sue Lambert, tells me that all committee members are volunteers and that now not everyone has to be within travelling distance of the Creuse where meetings are held, because technology means that attendance can be remotely online through Zoom.
“We are actively seeking volunteers for all sorts of roles in the north, south and east of France. We need coordinators – these are people who have the confidence to approach people with nice gardens in their areas. They then help them by staying in contact with them, explaining how an Open Day works, helping them find people to assist on the Open Day etc.,” she says.
A blooming flowerbedWendy Auldhouse
“Although we do have garden openers who open by themselves, there is no doubt about it that if they have a good coordinator, they are more liable to stay engaged and open again.”
Sue goes on to say that another valuable volunteer post is a PR sort of role. “We want people who feel able to contact local press – radio stations and newspapers – on behalf of our garden openers. Our openers want to concentrate on their plants and gardens and getting things tidy. That’s entirely understandable but local press engagement definitely brings many more visitors. So a bilingual person devoted solely to this role would be just fabulous!”
Sue pays tribute to the Back Office boys like Nick Sutton – who mails out the garden packs to openers – and Ian Cole, who is a support person in case openers need help updating or changing their garden pages on the association’s website.
John Pullen uploads new gardens to the site. “Some people have specific skills like designing table coverings for a show or baking cakes or taking cuttings. It is wonderful if people can use their language skills – Lesley and Michel Perrin translate our newsletters and important documents – but we also need people at plant fairs to encourage others to join.”
Sue points out that a long ongoing commitment is not always necessary. “Some volunteers are just engaged on the day of an opening in their area – taking money, serving teas or waiting on tables. Others turn up to help on our stand at fairs.”
Social media and sculptural succulents
Charente resident Abigail Wells Davies helps with marketingAbigail Wells Davies
Abigail Wells Davies first got involved when she worked for Leggett Immobilier International, one of Open Gardens / Jardins Ouverts’ main sponsors.
“I was working in the marketing department then. I’m now a freelance marketing consultant – Abigail’s Bureau – but I volunteer to create social media posts and share them via other Facebook groups to advertise garden openings and to encourage new garden openers. We are now finally present on Instagram. It’s great to post beautiful garden photos – we all love peeking at and pinching other people’s garden ideas!”
Abigail lives in the Charente, having moved to France in 2009. She wouldn’t consider opening as her garden is very small. “....but perfectly formed,” she adds.
She has a passion for agapanthus – both giant and the regular ones, for Christmas hellebores and for sculptural succulents.
Christine Buckley also moved to France in 2009. She lives in the Creuse and met Sue Lambert at shared French lessons.
She remembers, “Sue asked for help when she was opening her garden, I was happy to lend a hand. Over the years I have helped on the periphery – taking entrance fees at the gate, baking cakes, serving refreshments, donating plants, distributing leaflets and encouraging friends to come along.”
Christine adds, “I don’t open my own garden – it’s only 20m x 20m. That’s enough to keep me interested without too much work. I admire Sue’s enthusiasm, the proceeds go to a good cause and I am happy to help.”
Baking cakes and growing dahlias
Wendy Aldhouse helps out at Creuse garden open daysWendy Aldhouse
A more recent arrival is Wendy Aldhouse. A retired plant health and seeds inspector, she moved to the Creuse two and a half years ago.
"A friend mentioned last year that Sue was looking for help. She asked if I would be interested – when I said I would, Sue came over for a chat and I then went to the Open Gardens / Jardins Ouvert AGM. I became a member and joined the committee. I was the minutes secretary and am now full secretary. I also help at local garden open days and bake cakes for events like the afternoon tea at the Aboretum de la Sedelle.”
Wendy was previously involved with the garden society in her Essex village and was the chair for a few years.
“I have always loved perennial plants and used to grow a large selection from seed which I sold to raise money for charity before my daughter was born. I particularly like hellebores, aquilegia and hardy geraniums as my garden in England was mainly in the shade. I am currently enjoying growing grasses and salvias which I couldn’t grow previously due to the lack of light and the heavy Essex clay.”
The garden of Wendy AldhouseWendy Aldhouse
Wendy’s new property used to have a very well-known garden which unfortunately no longer exists. When the property was sold in 2019, the plants were all removed and the garden ploughed to return it to a field for the owner’s horses.
“When we bought in 2022 there was nothing. I have started with a blank canvas. I am currently working on a small walled garden and new beds in the area in front of the house – for now, the main field is still grass. My aim is to fill the beds with plants that thrive here. I grow lots of dahlias as I love having cut flowers in the house. The field may become an arboretum and a flower meadow eventually, funds permitting.”
Wendy would love to find some photographs of how the garden used to be – if you visited a garden at Saintary more than six years ago and have pictures, do please get in touch.
Hopes for the year ahead
When I ask the volunteers what they look forward to most for 2025, they are unanimous: better weather! More sunshine means more visitors and more visitors means more money will be raised for the charities Open Gardens / Jardins Ouverts supports. Last year €22,000 was sent to 11 children’s charities (including three new ones).
If you would like to get involved, as a volunteer, in any capacity, to open your garden or simply to become a member or to make a donation please do go to the website, www.opengardens.eu
As the new season of garden visits gets under way, whatever the weather, may Open Gardens / Jardins Ouverts continue to grow and flourish.
