Despite its recent popularity, organic gardening is not a new idea. PAT HOLT talks to a couple who have been gardening green for more than 40 years...

WHAT about afternoon tea in a beautiful country garden?

Sweet-scented roses, clematis and cottage garden plants provide the setting for a series of open afternoons in May and June at Knitson Old Farmhouse Garden, near Swanage.

Visitors will be able to enjoy views over the beautiful rolling Dorset hills - not to mention the delicious home-made cakes!

This picturesque farm is about a mile west of Swanage and three miles east of Corfe Castle, so any of these could be combined to make an interesting day out.

Keen organic growers Rachel and Mark Helfer open their mature, one-acre garden to the public for charity through the National Gardens Scheme each year. This year the dates are tomorrow (May 12) and also on June 22 and 23. Opening times are 2pm to 5pm.

In addition, from July 27, it will open every afternoon until August 4, in conjunction with Swanage Regatta and Carnival and as part of the National Gardens Scheme's 75th anniversary celebrations.

Admission charges (£1.50 for adults and 50p for children) will go to the NGS good causes, while income from plant sales, teas and donations will all go to the Helfers' own favourite charity, FARM Africa (Food and Agriculture Research Management).

This organisation helps farmers in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa and, on each of the open afternoons, Mark Helfer will give a short slide-show at 3pm on the charity's work.

Plant sales at Knitson Farm are particularly popular, as local gardeners know that many interesting and unusual organically-grown roses and cottage garden plants will be on sale.

The Helfers have been developing their garden ever since they bought the property 44 years ago. Originally, it was a little more than a huge sloping plot covered with docks and nettles.

In 1962, they rebuilt the house and, in the same year, the lawn was levelled and the main flower borders were created.

These borders have become one of the main features of the garden, with roses, irises, dark red poppies and many herbaceous plants flourishing on the well-drained soil. The borders are full of colour from spring to autumn, although they are usually at their peak in May and June.

Raised beds are full of beautiful hostas and there are several rustic arches overhung with climbing roses and clematis.

Dry stone walls, raised beds and decorative stonework are another distinctive aspect of this garden. Many of the individual stones have their own history. Well-informed visitors will be able to recognise old stone gateposts and Roman and medieval stone artefacts, such as cheese presses and flat stones used for grinding corn.

The eco-friendly style of gardening is another important feature.

Mark said: "Rachel's father was a founder member of the Soil Association and we have always gardened organically, as well as encouraging an abundance of wild things.

"We grow virtually all the vegetables and fruit that we need and we are very proud of that bit of the garden.

"The asparagus bed has been producing well for 38 years and, at the bottom of the garden on the Nissen hut, we have a kiwi vine that gave us nearly 500 good fruits in 1999!

"The orchard is much the same as when we came here and some of the trees are extremely old.

"As well as the flower beds around the house and the parking area, we have created a wild path through the trees on the other side of the road. It's a good place for bird-watching or for a few minutes of quiet sitting on the benches provided, to enjoy our rural tranquillity.

"We have always supported the Henry Doubleday Research Association, which is Europe's foremost organic gardening organisation, and we would be very pleased to give advice and answer questions."