High Beeches Gardens in Handcross, world famous for its collection of rare trees and shrubs, has be acknowledged for its contribution to gardening and charity.

In honour of opening for the National Gardens Scheme for 30 years in succession the owners Ann and Edward Boscawen were presented with a tree – Taxodium 'Swamp Cypress' – and a plaque by NGS county organiser Rosie Lloyd.

During the past 30 years High Beeches has donated two days' gate money a year to the NGS, a charity that opens private and public gardens to the general public and collects money from their entrance fees for Macmillan Cancer and Marie Curie and other caring and nursing charities.

This year High Beeches Gardens opens for the NGS on Sunday (May 25) and on Sept 28, to coincide with the very best of spring and autumn colours. Opening times are 1pm to 5pm, adults £5.50, children free.

The NGS opening this Sunday coincides with the gardens hosting a spectacular display of Bonsai trees belonging to members of the Sussex Bonsai Group including some former Chelsea Gold Medal winners.

Among the exhibits will be a very rare English elm as well as hornbeam, ash, pine, cedar, larch, yew and rhododendron. There will also be demonstrations over the three days of how to make a bonsai from a tree sapling.

Prominent members of the Sussex Bonsai Group Ann and Ken Norman, who have won six Gold Medals for bonsai at Chelsea, will also be at High Beeches over the three days where they will be signing copies of their book The Complete Practical Encyclopaedia of Bonsai.

The three day exhibition will take place on Saturday and Sunday during the garden opening hours of 1pm to 5pm and on Bank Holiday Monday when the garden will open earlier at 11am.