Trust gardens across Wales and England are open to raise funds for The National Gardens Scheme and to highlight the trust's gardening 'Careership', to 'home grow' the heritage gardeners of the future.

On the day, many trust gardens opening for the scheme will have special guided tours giving visitors the chance to meet careership students or graduates and head gardeners, as well as having the opportunity to learn more about the care of historic gardens and careers that are available in trust gardens.

Emma Heggarty Property Manager at Chirk Castle said "Careership students breathe new life and energy into a garden and bring new ideas having visited other gardens as part of their coursework.

"Careership students get practical hands-on experience in managing and growing a garden, they play a vital role in securing the future development of National Trust gardens throughout the country."

Jason Arnold a careership student at Chirk Castle, who has just completed his second year at the property, will be providing talks on the careership and on the gardens at Chirk on Saturday.

In recent years the heritage sector has been particularly hard hit by the decline in qualified gardeners with an understanding of historic gardens.

In 1991 The National Trust set up the three-year Careership training programme.

The National Gardens Scheme has supported The National Trust for 50 years and in the last seven years has donated around £190,000 a year to this particular programme.

Mike Calnan, The National Trust's head of gardens, said: "We have championed the Careership programme for many years and the National Gardens Scheme support continues to be vital in enabling us to train the gardeners of the future. The success of the programme can be measured by the number of post-careership gardeners that are now employed by the Trust and by major private owners.

"Many have risen to the horticultural heights of Head Gardener. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to continue training new gardeners for the country's historic gardens and estates.

"We hope visitors will come along tomorrow and find out more about how we care for our gardens."

For information about the National Trust gardens taking part tomorrow, and about the National Gardens Scheme and the Careership programme, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk.