IT'S often the way that when we go out for the day we jump in our cars and drive out of our lovely county of Cheshire and head elsewhere.

But my advice is to hop on your bike and stay local.

It is the things on our doorstep that we often miss and there is so much going on in 2008 that I just want to remind you what is under your noses.

Each time you cross the county boundary under the Cheshire sign, you will see a logo proclaiming 2008 - Cheshire Year of Gardens.

Many of the details are in January's edition of this illustrious magazine, but really it only gives you an idea of the initiative as a whole.

Each of the leading attractions are holding events throughout the year and boast something for everyone.

But I'd like to tell you of what us gardeners are doing here at Tatton.

The main launch is in early March here at Tatton, but we have started early.

We had a scarecrow festival in February half term where we built all our year's scarecrows with help from the public and displayed them all in our walled gardens throughout the week.

We also had a hunt for the scared crows' around our 60-acre garden.

For high season, we are going to have a programme of free garden tours every Friday to explain all the nooks and crannies of our 250-year-old garden.

In the spirit of the Year of Gardens, we are trying to inform, entertain and educate people who would not normally be involved or interested with gardens or gardening.

This year will see the opening of our glorious glasshouses, displaying our collection of orchids and our newly-restored pineapple house.

Other events include personal tours and talks by our garden manager, orchid festival and pumpkin and apple days.

As a garden team, we also promise to make our garden that bit better with different planting and bedding schemes and the development of some larger projects like opening up the view to our park and restoring our rockery.

Lots to keep us busy and you entertained - that is how we like it.

Most exciting of all is the start of Tatton's Sculpture Biennial.

Its theme will be plant collectors and collections and will see several large and many small art installations go up in our garden from the sublime to the ridiculous in what they encompass.

But each one will be guaranteed to make you stop, stare and think.

In all, lots going on here at Tatton and the other gardens participating in the Cheshire Year of Gardens.

So I do not want to hear of your days shopping in Liverpool or Manchester or your day out to Wales or the Lake District.

There is no excuse because it is all going on here right under your nose - so stay local and have some fun.