RESIDENTS of a picturesque Wiltshire village are planning to open up their gardens to the public for church preservation projects.

Fourteen keen gardeners in Steeple Ashton, a pretty village nestled in the Wiltshire countryside with just over 1,220 inhabitants, will allow visitors to look around on Sunday, June 2.

The Steeple Ashton Open Gardens event is a tradition that happens every two years to raise funds for the Preservation Trust, a charity that maintains the village’s spectacular Grade 1 listed medieval church of St Mary the Virgin.

The 14 gardens opening include the specialist Dye Garden of the Wiltshire Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers, the 5.5-acre garden of Ashton House and a listed Dovecote courtyard garden.

There are also two large gardens on the High Street that have not been open before as well as other highly individual gardens that are kept secret for the rest of the year. Children can look out for fairy folk hiding in the gardens on an enchanting folklore trail.

There will be a well-stocked plant stall on the village green selling seedlings, cuttings, bedding, unusual perennials and shrubs at very good prices.

One of the open garden organisers said: “Some of the gardens are large and rather grand, some quintessential cottage, some are somewhere in-between and all are very wildlife friendly. You can even visit a five-acre privately-owned meadow with a wildlife pond.”

Steeple Ashton Village Hall will be open for refreshments all day serving homemade cakes and cream teas and at Moorcroft Farm Pimms will be served on the lawn under pergolas in another lovely garden.

Nearby at the St Mary’s Church entrance, a cart laden with handmade flower arrangements will be staffed by St Mary’s flower arrangers.

Hundreds of visitors toured the open gardens last time the event was held in 2022 and it reportedly raised more than £5,000 for the St Mary’s Church preservation.

This year, proceeds will go towards much-needed roof repairs, organ pipe redecoration and helping to get the planned kitchenette, toilet facilities and meeting room project off the ground.

Helen Montague-Smith, secretary of Steeple Ashton Parochial Church Council, said she hoped funds could be raised for a new kitchenette, toilet and meeting room. “We have been trying for 40 years to get them.”

Tickets cost £10 on the day or £8 online in advance through Ticket Source.