It has taken months of planning and planting but the Great Charity Gardening Sale hopes to attract hundreds of gardeners to its event on Sunday. Kathryn Cross spoke to one of the organisers…When it comes to garden design Clare Agnew knows her stuff and her green fingers have made her a medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show.

It has taken months of planning and planting but the Great Charity Gardening Sale hopes to attract hundreds of gardeners to its event on Sunday. Kathryn Cross spoke to one of the organisers…

When it comes to garden design Clare Agnew knows her stuff and her green fingers have made her a medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show.

But over the past months the designer from Oulton, near Aylsham, has been making the most of her contacts in the gardening world for an important charity event.

Having recruited a small army of friends she hopes to have more than 12,000 plants ready for sale at one of the largest plant sales in Norfolk - the Great Charity Gardening Sale at Sennowe Park in Guist.

Cuttings and seeds have been lovingly tended to ensure an enormous variety of specimens will be on sale while top designers will be on hand to offer gardening advice.

“I've got Chelsea medallists and national and international garden designers helping,” she said.

“All the plants have been grown in Norfolk and I have asked each person to grow 100 plants for sale, whether they are cuttings, or splits or from seed. I have probably done about 1500 myself and I have got some left over from Chelsea as well. I have also got more plants from Norfolk nurseries which have been donated to help out.”

Mrs Agnew is especially keen to make it a great success as the charity all the funds go to is close to her heart.

The Norfolk Churches Trust aims to support all of Norfolk's 659 medieval churches and keep them open, many of which contain hundreds of medieval works of art and craftsmanship, painted screens, frescoes and intricate carved woodwork and roofs.

The event is on Sunday, September 14 from 10am to 4pm and costs £5 entry per car.

The 25th anniversary sponsored bike ride takes place on Saturday to raise money for the Norfolk Churches Trust. For more information and list of churches open contact the trust office on 01603 767576.