In 1960, Penny Gluckstein moved to Highwood Ash in Mill Hill and began to work on the house’s garden four years later – and 50 years later she is still making changes, and the latest of these is now to be unveiled to the public.

Penny started out by filling in a stagnant pond, which was surrounded by elm trees, for the safety of her then very small children, and bought a lorry-load of small rhododendrons and azaleas from the Exbury Gardens in Southampton.

“We paid only half a crown (12p) for each, as the labels had been mislaid,“ laughs Penny.

In 1987, when her children had grown up, she decided to create a water garden with two lakes joined by a waterfall. Further trees were planted – the original elm trees had unfortunately died of Dutch elm disease – and there is now an established woodland and wild flower area.

The upper garden has shrub and herbaceous borders and had, until this year, a rose garden.

“After 45 years of roses – and their problems! – we decided it was time for a change,“ explains Penny.

To that end, she has created a gravel garden with Mediterranean and South African plants and bulbs. Six beds were planted last year, which are already taking shape, and in April she planted another ten beds, with more than 300 plants and bulbs.

Penny has been opening her garden, which covers an area of three and a quarter acres, to the public in aid of charity for about 40 years, and was part of the National Gardens Scheme for most of that time.

The garden will be open to visitors again this Sunday, to raise funds for the North London Hospice. There will be teas, homemade cakes, and plants for sale.

  • The open day is at Highwood Ash, Highwood Hill, Mill Hill on Sunday, May 18 from 2pm to 5pm. Details: 020 8959 1183, pennygluckstein@gmail.com