Gardening for charity

Garden expert Ted Rudge is to open up his garden to the public this weekend in an attempt to raise cash for charity.

Former Kings Heath gardening club boss Mr Rudge and his wife Maureen have held the open day for the past ten years to raise money for Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston.

Despite his vast experience though, Mr Rudge seems to know his place at home.

"I may have run the Kings Heath gardening club, but when I’m at home Maureen’s the boss – I’m just the assistant," he told The Birmingham Mail.

The Rudges are also keen on helping the environment as well as charity.

"It usually takes an hour to water our garden, but before we even planned what to plant, we installed an eco watering system through a series of pipes and we also use self-watering pots," he said.

The event always proves popular, with the garden hosting up to 600 visitors within a few hours.

So far the couple have raised over £12,000 for Motor Neurone research at the hospital.

BirminhamMail.net reports that the Rudges will be providing light refreshments in their garden at 118 Cropthorne Road, Shirley, between noon and four this Saturday.