Ref. 26007-120A pair of gardening-mad brothers gave Stratton a glimpse of their award-winning skills when they opened their gardens to the public.

Jeff and Reg Bolton, who have spent their whole lives in St Philips Road, charged guests £1 each to wander around their carefully kept gardens on Saturday.

All the money raised will go to the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton.

Although the brothers live next door to each other, the style of their gardens could not be further away.

Jeff, 68, grows vegetables and flowers while brother Reg, 70, specialises in bonsai trees.

Jeff, a former railway worker, was recently named winner of this year's Stratton in Bloom competition, which he also won in 2001.

His prize, donated by Greatfield Nurseries, is a luxury caravan holiday in West Bay, Dorset, which he hopes to take with his wife Pam next year.

Jeff is a leading member of gardening clubs in Wroughton and Stratton. For many years he entered his vegetables into shows all over the country, and in the 1980s won a national championship for his shallots and short carrots.

On Saturday visitors to his garden were greeted by a colourful display which included geraniums, marigolds, busy lizzies, lilies, forsythia and gladioli.

In the past few weeks Jeff has spent five hours a day, five days a week, preparing his garden for public display.

Next door, visitors were treated to a rare sight of a bonsai garden.

Reg, who has been growing the Japanese trees for 30 years, said his garden required the same care as any other.

"It's common sense they need watering, feeding and good general care," he said. "But they do require a lot of pruning to keep their shape."

Reg, who is the chairman of the Federation of British Bonsai Societies, said his brother had deserved to win the Stratton in Bloom competition.

And Jeff denied there was any sibling rivalry between the brothers. "My garden and his are entirely different and we support each other," said Jeff.

David Line, general manager of the Prospect Hospice, which cares for the terminally ill, said the Bolton brothers' idea to open their gardens had been a great success. "It has been an excellent example of really good local fundraising," he said.