Flower lovers get a big bonus to see the small, the large and the exotic gardens in the region with three fine colourful mid-summer creations open to visitors for nursing and cancer charities this weekend.

The three gardens offer the chance to see how a clever gardener can shoe-horn plants into a small urban plot, how a keen plantswoman packs in the colour in a four- acre site and how exotic plants can be grown successfully.

The tiny garden of Maureen and Sid Allen in Walsall has made it one of the best-known in the area, with TV presenters being fascinated by the number of interesting and exotic plants they fit into their borders.

They have been featured on many gardening programmes and this year Joe Swift was filmed for BBC Gardeners’ World highlighting winter damage and felled a large cordyline with hopes it would shoot again from the base.

“It has not responded so far and, in fact, the hole where it was has been filled by the other plants getting a better chance to get larger,” she said. “Joe brought a wicker spiral and I have put up some morning glory and clematis up it.”

The Allens have now named their garden Hidden Gem after visiting TV presenters called it a real little hidden gem packed with interest.

Also open this weekend is The Elms at Seisdon, near Wolverhampton, where keen plantswoman Sue Wilkinson has put a lot of class, colour and exotica into the borders around the Georgian Mansion owned by her partner Alec Smith. She has put in tropical plants around the swimming pool, a superb arbour decorated by climbers has more than 100 roses and a 50-metre border planted only last year. “The new borders has grown so brilliantly – it is full of interest and colour already,” said Sue.

The third garden is known for its exotica, with jungle plants, including lush banana, in the borders at Astley Town House in Astley, near Stourport-on-Severn.

The garden is popular because of its sub-tropical plantings, a tree top safari lodge and shell mosaics planted and made by Tim and Lesley Smith.

Open gardens:

• The Elms, Post Office Road, Seisdon. Open on Sunday, 1-5pm. Admission £3.50, children free
• Hidden Gem, St John’s Road, Walsall. Open on Sunday,  1-5pm. Admission £3, children free
• Astley Towne House, Astley, near Stourport-on-Severn. Open on Sunday 1-5pm. Admission £4, children free

By Ken Tudor