MORE than £900 has been raised for charity, following an exhibition of work inspired by birch trees on Dartmoor.

The paintings and drawings by Duncan Rice (pictured right) created a boost of £910 for the Chagford-based Stone Lane Gardens charity.

An established artist and professional garden designer, Duncan is a trustee of Stone Lane Gardens and the exhibition was aimed at raising awareness of this beautiful garden as well as raising funds.

A spokesperson for the charity said: 'A huge thank you to Duncan and also to the Church House at South Tawton — curator David Youle supplied the exhibition space at very reasonable rates, and was of great assistance in hanging the paintings.

'Church House is also a charity and this is a great example of one charity supporting another.'

The subjects featured in the exhibition were mainly drawn from trees growing in Belstone Cleave.

Duncan said: 'The ecological role of the birch is to create conditions for longer term forest trees to grow. Fast growing and short living, it is a true pioneer tree.

'There is something heroic about these battered veterans of Belstone Cleave, fighting the odds, and achieving a beauty born out of adversity.'

Stone Lane Gardens is a beautiful 5-acre woodland and water garden close to Chagford which holds important National Collections of wild-origin birch and alder trees.

The Garden became a charity last year, following the death of its creator, Kenneth Ashburner.