Spring in Pembrokeshire this year is one of record breaking temperatures. The gardeners who open their beautiful gardens to the public for the National Garden Scheme are all panicking at the lack of rainfall that can normally be relied on at this time of year to make flowers and foliage flourish. The saying is "April showers bring forth May flowers". Difficult though the weather may be for gardening, it is ideal for garden visits. What better way to spend an afternoon than to relax in the sunshine in the lovely surrounds of one of our lovingly tended NGS gardens, especially when you know you are helping worthwhile charities such as Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Support. For over 30 years the people of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire have shown their generosity towards the National Gardens Scheme, contributing over £8,000 towards a total of nearly £2,000,000 raised throughout the UK. Let's make this a bumper year. The gardens opening in May are mostly private gardens ranging from grand and historic to rural and relaxed, to small and urban. Their gardens offer a pleasant and often inspirational outing as you enjoy the beautiful environments they have created and you can satisfy your curiosity as to what is hidden behind those mysterious garden walls whilst also doing a good deed for charity. Among the may openers are Colby Woodland Garden, Maroth (Sunday, May 13 - 10 am - 5 pm) and Dyffryn Farm, Narberth (Sunday, May 27, 12 noon - 5 pm). Colby has a fine vista down a lovely green valley with classical statuary the first thing to delight the eye. Across the valley is the woodland walk where a gorgeous display of rhododendrons and azaleas provides another sumptuous visual feast. The eight-acre garden slopes upwards, quite steeply in places, to a ridge from which you can enjoy splendid views across the garden. There is also a walled garden, open by special permission of Mr. and Mrs. Scourfield Lewis, where you can see a rill and a delightful summer house with trompe l'oeil painting inside. Colby is a National Trust property that opens for the NGS once a year. Plants are on sale and teas available in the café. Admission is £4, child £2.
