YORKSHIRE'S hidden gardens are revealed in Kentmere House Gallery's contribution to York's Bloom! festival from today.

Ann Petherick's gallery, in Scarcroft Hill, York, is celebrating the floral splendour of privately-owned gardens that open in aid of charities in an exhibition of paintings and original prints by 30 artists from Yorkshire and further afield.

"I've been travelling the country to find talented artists, both known and unknown, who specialise in painting gardens, and these selected artists have been painting the gardens throughout the spring and summer," says Ann.

Liz Thomson, from Sheffield, has painted the South Yorkshire gardens created by May Griffiths since 1993 and the two had become good friends. "May was an indefatigable gardener – 'I spend at least part of every day in the garden,' she would say – and she established her last garden at the age of 86," says Ann.

Roy Freer painted in the magical garden of Old Sleningford, near Ripon, and said “I want to paint here forever”. Lincolnshire artist Bob Armstrong owns a garden that has opened for the National Gardens Scheme for the past ten years. "It's a delightful and unique woodland garden with a secluded garden studio," says Ann.

Janis Goodman, from Leeds, is versatile printmaker making her Kentmere House debut; North Yorkshire artist Ann Kilvington grows fruit trees in her own orchard, a pastime reflected in her paintings; Louis Turpin, from Sussex, is renowned nationally as a garden painter and has mounted many exhibitions in London and the South, "but he particularly enjoys painting Yorkshire gardens," says Ann.

Bloom! Yorkshire's Hidden Gardens will be on show until September 3 and new work will be added regularly. Gallery opening hours are 6pm to 9pm, every Thursday, and 11am to 5pm on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month, plus any other time by arrangement on 01904 656507 or 07801 810825. Specially for Bloom!, Ann will open the gallery tomorrow (Friday) afternoon from 2pm to 5pm too.