A ‘VIRTUAL’ open garden event is taking place in Coombe, near Wotton under Edge this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, Martin and Lynne Clarke are opening their garden and studios at Blackwood, Coombe to raise funds for Under the Edge Arts (UTEA).

Before the pandemic struck, it was planned that the garden would be opened as part of the Wotton Spring Gardens and Open Studios event. This has now postponed until 2021, which has meant a major blow to UTEA finances.

The opening will by necessity be ‘virtual’ but the UTEA team are keen that as many people as possible pay a visit.

The programme will include: an online exhibition of Lynne’s paintings; a video tour of the Blackwood garden with commentary by Lynne; photos of the garden; a 14 foot high Coombe flower totem by Martin, to be raised on the lane outside Blackwood on May Day (Friday).

There will also be a Qigong session in the garden with Sally Blackman at 11am on Saturday; a video tour of the gardens sculptural pieces with commentary by Martin; a video tour of one of Britain’s great clematis collections at Daneway in Coombe; a tea and cake Zoom party on Saturday afternoon at 3pm, plus a video tour of the former Coombe Allotments.

Martin and Lynne will also be selling plants by the roadside. Already they have raised over £600 by donations and plant sales.

To tune into the events, visit: creativityincoombe.com

Donations can be made via: bit.ly/2Sczzcw