A man who transformed his garden as he battled depression will be opening his gates to the public on Sunday as part of a major national project.

Andrew Barnett, 61, started working on the once-derelict garden in Shay Gate, Wilsden, more than a decade ago after suffering a breakdown.

The former head teacher was last year recognised in The Gardening Against the Odds Awards, which celebrate gardeners whose efforts touch the lives of others. His garden is now among more than 3,700 across the country being opened as part of The National Gardens Scheme.

He said: “Gardening helped me recover from quite a serious breakdown.

“The garden was the thing that’s kept me going, that’s kept me alive. It’s absolutely vital to me. It’s taken over my life.

“I go out at 7am this time of year and come in as it gets dark. I have a bell on the outside of the house and when my wife needs me to come in she rings the bell but I spend most of daylight hours outside in the garden.”

The garden, which will be open from noon to 5pm, includes a formal garden area and raised vegetable bed as well as a wildlife pond and bog garden, which has become a habitat for newts, frogs and hedgehogs.

Members of Wilsden’s Women’s Institute will be serving tea and there will also be a plant sale. Proceeds will go to NGS’s chosen charities, which include Marie Curie, Help the Hospices and MacMillan Cancer Support.

Mr Barnett’s daughter Alexandra, who nominated him for the gardening against the odds award, said at the time: “Not only has my dad saved this garden from a boggy existence, I really believe the garden has saved my dad.”