Woman, 86, orphaned as child opens prized garden to public to fulfill lifelong promise

A woman who grew up as an orphan and promised to "help any child I could" has spent 30 years opening her picturesque garden to visitors to raise money for a children's charity.

Ann Lush, 86, was raised alongside her brother by her grandmother, who was widowed during World War Two, and said her childhood inspired her lifelong commitment to helping young people.

Lush, from Penarth, said she had promised herself: "If I ever had a home of my own, everybody could come to it."

She has now raised more than £130,000 for The Children's Society through Penarth Open Gardens, which she started with her late husband Dennis in 1996, charging £1 per head to enter her garden.

Dozens of gardens are now included in the event each year.

Lush said that when she was young, her grandmother would not let her invite friends to the house, but that friends' parents had done the opposite.

"I resolved when I was about nine years of age... that I would help any child I could as I got older," she told BBC Radio Wales.

"And if I ever had a home of my own, everybody could come to it," said Lush, who has received an MBE alongside her husband for their charity work.

"And everybody has come to it. Not just through the open gardens, because I've had strawberry teas, I've had barbecues, I've had garage sales.

"It's been a wonderful thing to be able to do with my garden. It really, really has," she said.

The latest Penarth Open Gardens event took place over the weekend, with visitors exploring dozens of gardens while raising money for The Children's Society, which supports young people facing challenges.

Lush said it had been the busiest event in the three decades since it began.

"It was incredibly busy. It was wonderful."

She estimated around 600 people visited her garden over the weekend, raising about £3,000, although the final total is still being counted from the other participating gardens.

"We believe it'll be the most ever," she said.

Lush said the event has now raised more than £130,000, before this year's total is added.

She believes visitors return year after year because the garden offers a peaceful escape.

"My garden, I always think is, is a haven of serenity and tranquillity for people," she said, adding that her favourite spot was the waterfall and pond.

"People are also fascinated with our little walled allotment, I call that my mini woodland," she said.

Lush said that when she and Dennis first started the event 30 years ago, "if someone had told us it would have lasted five years, I would not have believed that".

"But 30 years on, I just find it surreal," she said.