Gardens across West Dorset have been opening their doors for a blooming marvellous cause.

The National Garden Scheme (NGS) is the most significant charitable funder of nursing charities in the country, and invites around 3,700 gardens to open up each year.

Garden owners are helped with the opening of their gardens, where they are able to share their passion for gardening and raise impressive amounts of money through entry fees, teas and slices of cake.

This year the beneficiary charities are The Queen's Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, Perennial, Parkinson's UK and other guest charities.

In 2017, the NGS raised £3 million for the charities they support, all through the opening of private gardens.

This amount was split, with Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie and Hospice UK all receiving £500,000 each.

Money also went to the Carers' Trust, Queens Nursing Institute, Parkinson's UK and several other charities.

For some garden owners, the events provide a chance to raise money for a charity close to their heart.

Deirdre Coates, owner of Chideock Manor, raises money for Marie Curie after the charity helped her father.

Deirdre said: "We always serve teas at our NGS openings and give all the proceeds to Marie Curie.

The reason why we support this charity is because when my father was dying of cancer, the Marie Curie nurses came to the house every evening and nursed him overnight.

"This allowed us to get some sleep so we were able to nurse him during the day.

"He did not want to die in hospital and with the help of the Marie Curie he was able to die at home, surrounded by his familiar surroundings and his family.

"They allowed us to give him a good death which is very important."

Jan and Martin Dixon, owners of Harcombe House, open their garden for a similar reason.

Jan said: "The NGS supports charities that are close to our hearts as Martin and I have both lost close family members and friends to cancer.

"We are passionate gardeners and opening our garden is a wonderful way to support the excellent work that they do."

All gardens have raised various amounts for NGS and their respected charities.

Caroline Sandwich, owner of Mapperton Gardens, said: "Mapperton gives an annual contribution to the National Gardens Scheme for an entry in the 'yellow book.

"We don't have a specific charity for the NGS, but the proceeds of our autumn plant fair on September, 16 will go to Cancer Research UK."

For other owners, it is a chance to showcase something they have worked so hard to maintain.

John and Heather Coley, owners of Well Cottage in Ryall, said: "We never intended to open to the public but were encouraged by a local NGS representative to do so.

"After being told told to 'give it a couple of years' just over a year and lots of hard work later we got the nod and opened for the first time last year."

Dr Roger Newton, owner of the Braddocks Garden, agreed and said: "It is a lot of work to open the garden because it has to be in tip-top condition to justify charging folks to walk around.

"Because many of the visitors are themselves keen gardeners, it is fun to share the garden with them as they appreciate the amount of work required to create it in the first place."

The open gardens also gives families the opportunity to work together.

Emily Cave, owner of The Old Rectory in Litton Cheney, said: "We like sharing our gardens. "It's always a family fun day, with our children involved helping out, and my mother-in-law does the cream teas."

The NGS themselves as a charity aid the garden owners with advertising the open events.

Carol Parry, owner of Broomhill in Rampisham, said: "We have, in my view, a lovely garden which I like to keep on top of.

"I enjoy sharing it with others and opening for the NGS is a wonderful way to raise money, they make it so easy, they do all the advertising for the gardens, we then charge entry money for the NGS."

Some of the gardens get a lot of international appeal, with visitors from across the globe visiting.

Debbie Bell, owner of The Little Cliff, said: "We had a coach load of Dutch visitors the other day.

"As well as the six days I open with the NGS, I've had visitors from all over the world, from America, Canada, Norway, Germany and many more."

For more information about the gardens that are open near you, visit ngs.org.uk/find-a-garden