Paul Corfield writes

I would agree that £40k is a stupendous amount of cash but given their
apparent wealth it's probably all relative.

I suppose I was comparing it, not with its value to them, but with their
declared aim of raising money for charity - spending £40k to persuade
other people to give £3k a year to charity compared with simply giving
the £40k to charity in the first place.

But I think that's probably too mechanistic a view on my part. I should
probably accept that the main aim is to get a good garden, with the
charity bit as a by-product.

Having visited a decent number of NGS gardens over the months there are
undoubtedly people who do have the cash to make truly wonderful
"demonstration" gardens. They're good to look at but I tend to find
that those gardens that have been honed and developed through sheer
determination, hard work and enthusiasm tend to be that bit better.

Yes. They have the soul and the spirit of the creator in them.
--
Kay