THESE are exciting times at The Garden House in Buckland Monachorum — and to mark its 50th year, its trustees are embarking on an ambitious plan to enhance even more a garden which horticulturalist and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh proclaimed 'one of the finest' in Britain.

The attraction, which has also been described as a 'horticultural masterpiece' was nurtured by Lionel Fortescue and his wife Katherine in the 1940s; they turned the overgrown grounds of a 19th century vicarage into a superbly designed and imaginatively planted two-acre walled garden.

Since then, with a lot of hard work, the site has developed into a magnificent plethora of flowers, trees and shrubs. In 1961 the couple handed over its care to the Fortescue Trust, a charity that wishes to ensure that this jewel of a Devon garden is not only accessible to the public, but also promotes horticultural innovation and excellence.

It attracts 25,000 visitors a year — more than a million since 1961. It employs 35 people, has a valued volunteer force of 30, and enjoys a growing international reputation.

In the 50 years it has had only three head gardeners — Lionel Fortescue himself, Keith Wiley and now Matt Bishop — each bringing their individual creativity of which the benefits can be seen today.

To mark its golden jubilee the Fortescue Garden Trust is launching an appeal for £250,000 in donations and grants and a further £250,000 through legacies, whose funds will go to support horticultural incomes and scholarships. Already £40,000 has been pledged by supporters.

Sue Allen, a spokeswoman for the Garden House, told the Times: 'In the past 50 years The Garden House has been not only a place of beauty for so many to enjoy, but an ever changing, evolving, dynamic, environment.

'The plans and projects that are being put into place will have great effect, the benefits of which will be seen and enjoyed for the next 50 years.'

The centrepiece will be the golden jubilee arboretum, created on the site of the former nursery, east of the walled garden. The two acre site will contain more than a hundred new trees, many of them recent introductions from the temperate zones of the world, all carefully selected for their interest and impact throughout the seasons.

With the restoration of the lower terrace of the iconic walled garden nearing completion, the three terraces above the historic tower will receive a complete make-over‚ with Himalayan poppies, rhododendron hybrids, a range of bulbs, herbaceous plants and shrubs alongside widened pathways.

There are plans to increase the seasonal diversity of all plantings, to include a winter walk around the entire garden, and to transform the Acer glade, with its fabulous autumn colours into a year round feature. Also the gardens will come home to a number of plant heritage national collections, selected by head gardener Matt Bishop.

A visitor reception and inpretation centre will enable visitors to better understand the horticultural and social features of The Garden House at the start of their visit.

The educational and training objectives of the Trust will be vigorously developed, and there are plans for more young horticultural students to work and study at the garden,

The Garden House provides scholarships for two horticultural students to spend a year there and an education area will be established within the new nursery for teaching practical horticulture, and there are plans to provide work experience courses for local school children.

For more details to support the appeal please call 01822 854769, email [email protected]">[email protected] or visit its website on http://www.gardenhouse.org.uk">www.gardenhouse.org.uk