HESTERCOMBE Gardens is re-opening exclusively for members from Wednesday, March 17 for a two-week period.

Bookings, which are essential, will open from next Wednesday (March 10) via the Hestercombe website.

The attraction will be opening from Wednesday to Sunday between 10am and 5pm.

People who are not already members can take advantage of the exclusive re-opening by signing up on the membership page of the website.

Otherwise, non-members will be able to visit Hestercombe from Wednesday, March 31.

If everything goes to plan with the Government's Covid recovery roadmap, the gardens will be open daily from Monday, April 12, seven days a week - for the first time since the first lockdown last March.

Indoor catering and Hestercombe House and Gallery will all reopen from Monday, May 17, depending on Government restrictions.

While Hestercombe has been closed, a new cafe facility has been created in the former Hestercombe Gift Shop, while the Stables Cafe has been refurbished.

A limited range of food and drink will be served from March 17.

A Hestercombe spokesperson said: "We thank you for your incredible patience and support whilst we have been forced to close over the past two months.

"We are all very much looking forward to welcoming you back to Hestercombe, when there will still be snowdrops to enjoy and masses of daffodils, not yet open, to put a spring in your step."