PRIVATE gardens are being thrown open this weekend.

Ulverston Open Gardens Weekend, which is organised by Ulverston in Bloom, is on Saturday and Sunday.

Many local residents open their private gardens and it is a great opportunity to look around and get ideas, enjoy the gardens and talk to other gardeners.

There is a variety from small back yards and hanging baskets to large gardens with ponds and vegetables and specialised meadow areas.

Four of the gardens this year are opening for the first time.

One of these is a back yard of a terraced house where Linda Marshall hopes to inspire people to make the best of a small area. Another is a community garden developed by residents working together creatively to provide colour and grow fruit and veg with the children.

The community garden won the Cavendish trophy in Cumbria in Bloom last year in addition to the Ulverston Mayor’s prize.