Garden tourism: reasons for opening private gardens in the UK National Garden Scheme

As both private and public spaces, gardens are a major source of leisure activities in the UK and a way of life for many British citizens. As garden tourism is increasing in the country, there is an urgent need for more knowledge, particularly regarding the motivation of garden owners. Using a qualitative approach, this paper presents the owners’ perceptions of the garden and examines the role of the garden in garden opening during the open days. Although the significance of charity openings (in many cases with personal and local interests) is undoubtedly a manifestation of the success of the National Garden Scheme, this study reveals that participation in garden opening differs according to the person’s motivation, varying from charity support and community engagement to social reasons, community creation, age resistance or nostalgic reasons.