HUNDREDS of people browsed dozens of glorious gardens and courtyards which are kept secret the rest of the year round.

The Harwich Secret Gardens event returned for the ninth year running.

A total of 24 different gardens opened around old Harwich between 11am and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday for the annual event, with visitors coming from near and far including Harwich, London, Clacton, Coggeshall, Chelmsford and Suffolk.

Jackie Denton, secretary for Harwich Secret Gardens organising committee, said the event was a great success.

She said: “It was busy and the weather was great.

“The streets were busy with people trying to find the hidden gardens and the local businesses were busy with getting people refreshments.”

Jackie said visitors enjoyed looking at the quirky ideas in the different range of gardens on show picking up hints and ideas to take back to use in their own gardens.

There were more than 550 visitors at the various gardens over the two days.

Some people even had to queue to get into some of the smaller courtyards.

About £3,000 was raised from this year’s event, which will be split between Home-Start Harwich, kitchen equipment for Esplanade Hall in Harwich and for planting flowers and plants around the town.