THIS weekend sees the last ‘hoorah’ of Teignmouth’s gardening calendar for 2021.

On Saturday, September 11, and Sunday, September 12, garden owners will open their gates to the public for the last time this year.

Two special gardens and The Teignmouth Orangery will be open from 1pm to 5pm with live music at Bitton House, making this a festive event.

The first garden on the tour is in a tucked away location off Coombe Vale Road.

Follow the yellow National Gardening Scheme (NGS) signs to 7 Coombe Avenue where you will find a small sheltered plantman’s garden, developed from 1998 by the chairman of the Teignmouth Gardening Club who had his career at Kew Gardens.

This garden has many unusual plants and shrubs collected over many years during the garden owner’s horticultural career.

The garden is South and West facing, on two levels surrounding an Edwardian house. There is a wide range of hardy and exotic plants with a glasshouse that houses more unusual and interesting plant varieties.

The next stop is Lower Coombe Cottage, which can be found further down the valley on Coombe Lane.

This chocolate box thatched cottage sits in a traditional country garden of just under ¼ acre.

The South facing front garden includes a wide range of unusual trees, shrubs and newly-planted roses leading to the greenhouse and potager garden.

Approached through the cottage’s garden room, the rear garden offers a Mediterranean-style courtyard with small vegetable patch and steps down to Bitton Brook, which is adjacent to the garden.

The setting of this delightful garden with its babbling brook is a haven for wildlife and tranquillity.

Teignmouth Orangery which lies in the grounds of Bitton House, is believed to have been built in 1842 for Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth.

Admiral Pellew was the inspiration for CS Forester’s Hornblower character in the ITV television series of the same name.

The Orangery, which was believed to have been built for his wife, Lady Exmouth, for her keen love of gardening.

The Orangery was beautifully restored in 1985 and now houses a wide range of plants from different climate zones including brugmansia, bougainvillea, gloriosa and strelitzia.

Enjoy a special treat on both Saturday and Sunday with different live music acts at Bitton House.

Modica (www.modica.co.uk) will be playing on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm; an acoustic cover duo based in Bristol made up of Ben Cipolla and Hesta Banks. Modica have played around Europe, as well as in USA, Thailand and New Zealand.

They create a fun, friendly and relaxed atmosphere playing a diverse mix of songs, including some Hesta has written herself.

On Sunday, Derek Whitty, head choirmaster and organist at St Michael’s Church in Teignmouth, will be playing popular and traditional music on keyboards from 2pm – 5pm.

Tea and home-made cakes will be offered at Bitton House for guests to enjoy with the music.

Combined entry to the gardens, Orangery and live music is £5, proceeds to the NGS supported charities which include MacMillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Nurses, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, Parkinsons UK and more.

Proceeds of the refreshments will be donated to The Teignmouth Orangery for the upkeep and maintenance of The Orangery.

Parking is available at Bitton House for 7 Coombe Avenue and at Teignmouth Football Club for Lower Coombe Cottage.

For more information vist https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/42580