THE garden at Lowder Mill will be open to the public under the National Garden Scheme for the 12th consecutive year this weekend.

Owner John Denning is hoping visitors numbers will match those of last year, when around 700 people visited over the two days.

He said: “While most come to enjoy the garden and the afternoon teas and cakes, many also appreciate the historic nature of the site.

“The former water mill and miller’s house are set in some three acres of garden including the mill pond, located on the higher level, the water from which drove the overshot wheel, which was there until the 1930’s.”

Mr Denning and his wife Anne, who set about restoring and renovating the property and garden in Bell Vale Lane, Haslemere, 14 years ago with the help of garden designer Bunny Guinness, has researched some of the history of the site.

There has been 600 years of water extraction and milling on the site, as the first recorded activity on the site dates back to 1357 when the then owner was fined for diverting a watercourse.

There are many references, many of which can be found in the Fernhurst Archive, to water extraction and milling in the 16th and 17th centuries. Both the house and the mill are now Listed as buildings of architectural or historic interest.

The mill building is mainly 18th Century in origin, of fairly typical stone construction with brick quoins.

It is not known precisely when milling ceased, but there is evidence of commercial activity up to the late 19th century, including its use as a cooperage. The property has been used solely as a residence since the 1920’s.

The task of bringing the garden back to life has included new a new pond in the front of the mill, the courtyard between the house and the mill, with its wealth of interesting container planting, the restoration of the greenhouse and nursery area, the raised vegetable beds and a collection of rare breed ducks and chickens.

Visitors tomorrow and Sunday can also enjoy teas, a plant stall, and a choir singing in the garden on Sunday, from 11am

Opening times: Saturday 11am-5.30pm, Sunday 10.30am- 5.30pm.

Admission is £4.50 for adults and £2 for children and money raised will go to National Gardens Scheme charities.

For more details, visit lowdermill.com.