Residents around Oxfordshire are opening their gardens to the public as part of an initiative organised by a hospice.

Katharine House, which has a hospice near Banbury and is the benefactor of the initiative, will host its Open Gardens scheme, this year funded by Graf UK.

Supporters around towns and villages are opening their private gardens to the public, showing off sights such as arboretums, floral borders, and water features, all in a bid to raise money for the hospice.

Each year, hundreds of visitors enjoy leisurely strolls around gardens filled with beautiful scenery.

This year's season begins with the Old Vicarage in Adderbury.

Set in 16 acres of countryside, the Old Vicarage has large front and back gardens, a walled vegetable garden, an arboretum boasting a lake and a pond, and two meadows, framed by a brook and trees from three different continents.

Christine and Sir Peter Job, owners of The Old Vicarage, said: "We have been building our garden and arboretum over nearly 30 years to our great pleasure, which we are happy to share with others, especially under the banner of an important cause such as the Katharine House Hospice."

This year will see a giveaway of various plants, trees, and shrubs with competition winners given first pick, the new addition of a raffle, and a scavenger hunt for the children.

Katharine House said: "The Open Gardens scheme has been a huge success over the years, raising tens of thousands of pounds for our patients and their families as well as the upkeep of our own beautiful garden here at Katharine House."

In addition to the Old Vicarage, Middleton Cheney in Culworth, Chipping Norton, Broughton Grange in South Newington, and Katharine House’s own hospice are set to take part in the Open Gardens scheme this year.

Roseann Thompson, community engagement manager for Katharine House Hospice, said: "The Open Gardens for Katharine House has given a vast amount of pleasure to thousands of people over the years and are also a great opportunity for people to show off their gardening handywork.

"We are so grateful to our supporters who are generously opening their gardens to the public to raise money for Katharine House.

"Looking forward to seeing how the gardens have developed over the last year, and being introduced to new ones too."

Katharine House relies on donations from businesses and communities to provide specialist palliative care for adults with life-limiting conditions across North Oxfordshire and South Northamptonshire.

Those who are interested in signing up to the scheme can visit the Katharine House Hospice website.