A HUXLEY couple raised almost £2,000 for good causes when they opened their garden to the public.

Husband and wife team Kate and Tim Rayner, who have their own landscaping business called Raynershine Landscapes, spent seven years transforming their garden from a field to pruned perfection.

And they opened it to the public earlier this month as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS).

The project sees green fingered residents across the UK opening up their spectacular gardens to the public, at a small cost, for a tour and light refreshments.

All proceeds go to the NGS who then split it between different charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Mother-of-two Kate, of Leadgate Lane, described the day as being ‘very British’.

“It was quite stressful baking all the cakes and getting the garden all ready, especially with two small children, but it was a very nice day,” she added.

“We had people coming from all over the region, some who just wanted to have a look and some who were very keen gardeners.

“We’ve had to be very focused on doing up the garden, it’s very hard work but very rewarding.”