WHY DO WE DO IT?

Glad things went well for you.
Love the pic of you and your daughter/grand-daughter(?)

My word that's a good-looking trio (and I don't only mean the cupcakes - though they look amazing). What a feat! You must be congratulated - I wish I'd been able to be there. I LOVE looking at other people's gardens, and It's such a wonderful opportunity to buy plants, too.
Is that a bronze fennel I spy in your border? Isn't it magnificent? If it is one, I am excited, because I have sown some this year, and they are at the 2" stage, so now I know what they (if I don't manage to kill them) should turn into one day. How old are these?
You KNOW why you do it really, don't you? You should have that warm, rosy glow now. Well done!

Well done ! I hope you made lots of money. You're donating it to good causes ...
I hope the weather is better for your next open days.

Hmm...sisters, I thought... ;)

There are definitely worse ways to raise money...looks like a lovely day was had by everyone! Well done to the team! :)

Well done DD - you work so hard and it certainly pays off. So nice all the family are involved and to raise money for the charity is wonderful. I was thinking about you with the awful weather but guessed Monday would be a better day than Sunday. I'm optimistic that the beginning of July will be sunny. Good looking girls you have there x

Wow.....those cakes......those beautiful offspring....that garden!! Fantastic job all around A. Well done, it must be totally nerve racking, especially when the weather is bad! I'm so glad that it went well and people came! Congratulatons!! I think it is an excellent way to share your garden and I would seriously consider it myself if OH weren't so 'anti'. I think he sees it as a bit 'showing off' for him, and he is a pretty 'private' sort of guy in many ways. Not at all unsociable, but he likes peace and quiet at home. Maybe one day I will be able to persuade him, if I pluck up the courage myself!

Well done A & P. So glad you managed to make up for the wet Sunday. The girls and the cupcakes look gorgeous, as of course does the garden. Brilliant.

That last photograph is stunning.
So glad the storm didn't trash your garden!
All looks brilliant.

Looks like you all had a fantastic day.. the cakes look amazing.. as does your garden.

Oh Dd. well done to you all, you are very brave doing this every year, dont think i could stand the stress. Those cakes look so tasty and the garden just wonderful.

Well done DD it all look's amazing, looks like everyone was enjoying it....

Thanks Stripes and GM we were all very tired the next day, so we were glad of the rain, a chance to stay in and recharge our batteries....
Meadow and Suzy our daughter makes lovely cakes, and being a very greedy family they soon go....
Lulu we were lucky, the last two days the winds have played havoc with some of the planting.
Cinders many thanks, so pleased you could visit us last year.
Karen bless you, OH always says that is it, never again! and after my little health blip, I did struggle this time, but, I am sure God willing we will be doing it all over again next year.
Dawn I do hope you are right, when can we expect Summer? or is that too much to ask.
Karenfrance there are, and when we get it right it is a really enjoyable experience.
Hywel thanks, keep your fingers crossed......
Gattina it is fennel this one is about two years old now, once it is in the garden you will always have it, this went a little mad must have been all the rain.
Lil wish it was me....lol our two daughters eldest and youngest and our eldest granddaughter in the middle.

Congratulation DD not only on making such a beautiful garden but giving to such worthy causes.
I love the last photo you all look releaved its all over but joyous too.

Stroller that was probably the drink lol

What a lovely thing to do. Glad you all had a great time & the weather wasn't too bad.
Everything looks scrummy, cakes & garden.

Thanks Willi a distant memory now.........

I bet your planning for next year already, Lol.

Dottydaisy2:

Such beautiful looking people, a lovely garden and delicious-looking desserts! All for a good cause...it doesn't get any better. :>)

Oh Karen, your OH sounds just like me! I know I chat on here etc but I'm a private person, wish I wasn't but the anti social streak is in me, lol. As for Facebook, well, scarey stuff, ha ha.

I think its all very xciteing and carnt wait till its my turn LOL ... Hard work yes .. but I think we all love showing the love of our lives ... The garden xx so glad it went well .

Delonix thanks for your lovely comments, Dawn I have to admit I like the buzz we are all very social animals the children as well...
Chris it will be your turn before you know it, plan now, dont leave anything to the last minute, make lists, try and label some of your plants, make sure you have plenty of seating and helpers, you get loads of people on your first opening.

Well done Angela both to you Peter and all you willing helpers , what a lovely family , and those cakes I'm drooling :o))

I am glad it all went well Dotty. Lovely photos of your family. Do you have a link to the photos on Flickr? I would love to see them.

Amy thanks very much, Annella I do have the link if you pm me your email I will send it to you. (if you are happy to do that?)

Such a shame the weather wasn't better for your open days, Dotty ... I have to ask if many folk noticed the changes in the garden from last year ... so sorry we didn't make it as I would have loved to have been there ... well done to the family for helping ... :o)

Great to see you all there Dd, how lovely that all your family enjoy it all too, and what a bonny crowd you are....:o)) Ooh, those cup cakes look the bizz, well done for all the hard work you've put in, your garden always looks stunning...if only we were nearer....:o((

Shirley they did notice we had made several changes, not having so many visitors people were able to view the garden better this time, we still made £400.00 for the NGS, we did miss you both, but in the circumstances we would not expect you to travel that far, we are still changing the planting even now lol

Will do Dotty :o))

Janey that's kind of you, the family are very good, the grandchildren love helping, I do not know what we would do without them, even our daughters mum in law made us cakes and organized an urn for the tea.

A real family occasion Dd, I `m afraid its a case of ignore the weather and carry on regardless this year, weatherman said this morning its likely to continue for weeks.
The cakes look delicious and the family look very happy, shame you are so far away, I`d love to have visited, a very worthy cause and you have once again done well all of you... Fingers xx the sun is out for the next opening..

Mmm those cupcakes look yummy.

Sounds like you were really lucky with the weather, not a bad turn out either. Good on you for opening your garden up like this, not sure I could summon up the courage (even if my garden looked half as good as yours - which it really doesn't). Love that last picture of your all, its easy to see your all really close.

Congratulations on a sucessful opening, hoping the next one is even better (plus better weather)

Looks fabulous - a bevy of beauty, scrummy cakes and an attractive garden, looks like a great family effort, nice to get everyone together, even if its hard work.

Sam thank you so much for your very kind comments, I only wish we could attract a younger visitor too, still there is time!!
Bamboo we are very lucky to have a supportive family around us, we help them they help us.....