With perhaps the only daffodils left in Marlborough after the Cancer Society's annual fundraiser on Friday, it was the turn of Timara Lodge to ask Marlburians to dig deep for charity yesterday.

The luxury lodge in Blenheim opened its 240 hectares of beautiful English-style lawns, native and exotic woodland and plush gardens in aid of Fairhall School.

The Daffodils at Timara event was hoping to raise enough funds to buy new laptops and iPads for pupils.

Organiser Joanna Grigg said the yearly bash was always the first Sunday in September, which coincided with Father's Day this year.

The daffodils were looking the best they had for several years, Ms Grigg said.

The owners of Timara Lodge had grandchildren at Fairhall School, she said.

"It's a wonderful gesture to share their gardens with the wider Marlborough community," she said.

"We are very lucky as this is the only time, other than Garden Marlborough, that the grounds are open to the public," Ms Grigg said.

Timara Lodge, on Dogs Point Rd, made national headlines in December as the wedding venue for All Blacks first five-eighth Dan Carter and his bride, Honor Dillon.

Guests at the celebrity wedding included fellow All Blacks Ali Williams and Jimmy Cowan, songstress Hayley Westenra and NZ's Next Top Model host Sara Tetro.

Blenheim woman Andrea Craig was taking a stroll through the gardens with her two boys Alex, 5, and Sam, 3, yesterday.

"It's very generous of Timara Lodge to let kids in to run around," she said.

It was especially nice that no areas were off limits to the public.

"The boys are having so much fun finding all the tracks and bridges and places to hide.

"I have to keep reminding them to stay in eyeshot. Although I don't think they're supposed to be climbing the trees."

- The Marlborough Express

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