CHELSEA Flower Show gold medallist John Massey is dedicating an open day at his private garden to the memory of a retired Stourbridge teacher.

John, the owner of Ashwood Nurseries, will honour his “very dear friend” Margaret Morgan when he opens up his garden for charity on Saturday, June 3.

Margaret, or Maggie as she was more commonly known, was a much-loved volunteer at Ashwood and a well-known face to regular visitors to the garden.

The retired St James’s CE Primary School teacher would sell tickets from ‘Maggie’s Shed’ in all weathers, greeting everyone to the gardens with her welcoming smile and Welsh humour.

Margaret, who ran Ashwood’s tea room in its early days, was also a member of Stourbridge Operatic Society before passing away earlier this year from a brain tumour.

John paid tribute to his friend of three decades, saying: “Originally I knew Maggie from Stourbridge Badminton Club where we played mixed doubles together nearly 30 years ago. She was a much better player than I was though!

“But we always got on really well and had the same sense of humour. When she decided to retire from teaching about 26 years ago, she started the tea room here at Ashwood where she did a fantastic job.

“We continued to be friends for all these years and she was the kind of person who I could share anything with. She was always around when you needed her, usually with a batch of her delicious Welsh cakes.”

John’s garden will be open to the public between 10am and 4pm and the day will include a tree planting ceremony as a lasting memorial to Margaret from 11am, while members of Stourbridge Operatic Society will perform a musical tribute in the garden between 2pm and 3pm.

John added: “Maggie played a big part in getting the largest ever amount of people into the garden last year; 922 people attended and Maggie was there to greet every single one.

“I would love to make it a record year this time to really honour Maggie and the legacy she’s left behind.”

Entry to the garden, located at the Ashwood Lower Lane nurseries, costs £5 and all proceeds will be donated to Beacon Centre for the Blind.

For more information visit www.ashwoodnurseries.com