Ann Lush, from Penarth, has marked 30 years of opening her garden to the public, in an event that has now raised around £120,000 for The Children’s Society.
This weekend, Penarth Open Gardens celebrated its 30th anniversary, with 15 gardens across the town opening on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July in aid of The Children’s Society.
It began in 1996, when Ann Lush and her late husband Dennis opened their garden to neighbours and charged £1 a head. They raised over £500 in a weekend. Three decades on, the event has become a fixture of the Penarth calendar.
That first weekend was meant to be a one-off. Neighbours had other ideas – the following year, twelve gardens were taking part.
Ann Lush said: “It was a huge success, and we just haven’t looked back. It’s such a beautiful legacy for Dennis. People come from everywhere now,”.
For Ann, now 86, the commitment runs deep – and traces back to her own childhood. Orphaned young, she grew up in a house where her friends weren’t welcome.
“While I was growing up, my grandmother didn’t like having my friends over. So I decided, when I was still young, that if I ever had a garden of my own I would never turn a child away. And if I could ever help a young person, I would.”
Dennis Lush, Honorary Vice President of The Children’s Society, died in 2020.
Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society said: “Ann is a remarkable woman whose commitment over three decades has been extraordinary. What she and Dennis started in one garden has grown into something that brings a whole community together, year after year, for children who need our help. Thirty years is a genuine achievement and everyone involved should be very proud. It was wonderful to see the gardens this weekend – and that almond slice lived up to its reputation.
”Visitors this weekend paid £1 per garden or £5 for all fifteen, with tea, coffee and homemade cakes included. Ann’s contribution was characteristically substantial.
“My dining room looked like a shop; chutneys, jams, marmalades. I had over 160 jars this year. And I make a special almond slice everyone loves.”
