Jardins Ouvert/Open Garden
D0rdogne_Damsel
Posts: 4,056
At the end of last year I signed up for this French version of the Open Garden scheme thinking I had loads of time to 'put the house in order'. Now with a week to go I am panicking/fretting/nearly killing myself trying to get it presentable - silly me. 
However the deed is done now and although last week I was all set to cancel, as someone once said the T. Towels have been printed now so we just have to go through with it. I have toyed with using t. towels as blindfolds and just getting folks to acceptable places for a peek but thought might not go down too well.
Beauty of this site though is I can just post the close ups so here are some pics of the best bits although with a week still to go I am worried they may well be past their best by then too. Oh what a silly idea of mine. 
I will be good and post my embarrassing bits too (the garden I mean don't panic) so you all feel like you have taken part properly. 
Posts
I love going to the local secret garden day. Part of the enjoyment is getting a surprise when a new, unknown garden confronts you. Part is being inspired to buy a plant you've never seen in the flesh before. But I must confess, a great part is looking at someone else's garden and then going home and thinking "well, my little patch doesn't look so bad after all."
All the very best. Relax. Enjoy it and then others will too.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
Thanks Pansyface, will do my best to enjoy.
I am half hoping 'real' gardeners will come & will understand the reason it is not perfect and half hoping the non-gardeners come and won't know the difference.
I think that's exactly how it will be Dd ((hugs)) - and you should see the weeds we spotted at East Ruston Old Vicarage and Bressingham, didn't we folks?!
I think you should put a little sign up saying that you tend your garden with wildlife as a priority, and any scruffy bits and 'wild plants' are for the wildlife and beneficial insects
Enjoy!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Oh what a darn pity, my parnts are arriving on the 28, or I'd come see!
When I livd in Germany we went to see private gardens on a pretty regular basis, there was always a bung of people, and everybody was always super interested and nice, not critical!
It looks lovely,well done. I'm sure it will all go really well, stop stressing and enjoy.just think about the nice comments you will get, after all I wonder what there gardens are like.
dearest DD, when you moved into your new home just over a year ago the garden looked amazing, in the past year you have made it even more amazing! everyone will love it
Thank you all.
Have been to two gardens recently and they were perfect which made me a bit twitchy and the garden co-ordinate phoned and asked if I wanted a 'team of helpers' to come and help with weeding etc.
That made me really feel the pressure to be perfect and I daren't say yes to the team as there is so much to do not sure that's what they meant. I was just going to leave the 'wild' bits as I am very keen on Dove's idea of appealing to wildlife & insects. 
Going to put up some before and after pics around the garden so even though it is not perfect it is better than it was this time last year. Lots of cake too!
DD your garden is liking so beautiful!
Dove is right, at East Ruston the were wheel barrows out, weeds, neglected corners and it all just added to the beauty.
it made it feel like gardening actually takes place there and not just that it was designed then appeared! Gardeners understand that weeds grow like .....well weeds! Overnight usually, when your back is turned, if you leave a few it will make everyone feel better about their own gardens! 
Best of luck!
Oh, No. 1 Tip : wear a long floaty dress and a big floppy hat like this
or go for the 'other English eccentric' look
and everyone will realise that yours is 'English' in style, and therefore a work in progress - and if you go for the second look, no one will dare harbour a critical thought in their heads
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I love visiting other people's gardens and go to see what's good and hwat ideas and plants I can adopt or adapt for my garden. I've yet to see a perfect, weed free garden, even at RHS gardens like Harlow Carr and Wisley or places like Great Dixter and Sissinghurst.
You will be stressed and nervous at the start but then will have so many people to meet and greet and sell cake to that you'll have other things to think about. Your visitors are there to enjoy themselves and will have a good time which should rub off on you. I'm sure you'll have great day and will be thoroughly exhausted afterwards.
Good luck. Have fun.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw