The New Town area of Colchester, with its approximate 3,000 homes primarily from the 19th century and first decade of the 20th century, is the most densely-populated part of the borough.

Today New Town is the name given to an area bigger than the original New Town Estate which dates from the 1880s. This was a “new town” for Colchester, on fields bordered by Wimpole Road to the east, and to the rear of Magdalen Street to the north, and Military Road to the west and south. The estate was designed by James Goodey, who lived in a big house on the corner of New Town Road and Winnock Road – the only house in Colchester made from a type of pre-cast concrete which Goodey pioneered as a building material.

Houses were of three categories, representing the class structure of Victorian Britain, with homes of different sizes for the working class, middle class and upper middle class in separate parts of the estate.

In due course, the geographic description New Town was widened to include older houses built in earlier decades of the 19th century, and, as new houses were built to the east of Wimpole Road and the south of Military Road and Old Heath Road, in the years before the First World War.

Earlier 19th-century residential streets are those off Mersea Road, as one approaches the town centre at St Botolph’s Circus, and to the south of Barrack Street, on the site of the barracks which were demolished around 200 years ago, after the Napoleonic Wars.

The oldest houses were built before the car was invented, and those from the late 1890s and early 1900s were at a time when only rich people had an automobile.

Compact terraced and semi-detached houses comprise the majority, most with small gardens.

At first glance, therefore, perhaps not fertile territory for gardeners to excel but, as last Sunday’s 16th New Town Open Gardens confirmed, in this part of Colchester there is a range of gardens which would not disgrace the Chelsea Flower Show.

Indeed, it was the Chelsea fringe which inspired New Town residents Ann Morris and Jean Quinn to start the annual open gardens event, which this year had 22 different locations for people to visit. Scores did, myself amongst them.

In 1999, Mrs Morris visited the Chelsea Flower Show and noticed in nearby streets there were houses whose gardens were open to the public to view as a fringe attraction. On returning to Colchester, she discussed with Mrs Quinn the prospect of doing something similar in New Town. In 2000, the first New Town Open Gardens was held and this became an annual event, other than last year. The event on Sunday was a resumption.

Fifteen residential gardens were open for people to admire, with seven other locations taking part.

The gardens ranged from small patios with pots and raised borders, to those where wild flowers were given equal space to cultivated flowers. Others were more traditional with flowers and vegetables. One recently-completed garden had “before” photographs showing how it had been transformed into a mini-Castle Park display.

All the gardens were examples of dedication and enthusiasm by those who had created and maintained them.

There was an official opening by New Town councillor and former Colchester mayor Theresa Higgins. Her back garden was one of those on show.

The opening was performed outside The Artillery Man pub whose typical pub garden with hanging baskets was a popular venue. Also present were members of the Town Watch in full regalia and a folk band.

The nearby Evangelical Church, the only building in New Town with a blue plaque (to the Rev Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a famous 19th-century preacher), also opened its gardens.St Stephen’s Church Centre also had demonstrations of wool spinning wheels and a Red Cross stall.

The former Garrison Church, now St John’s Russian Orthodox Church, was the starting point for a history tour of New Town.

St George’s Infant and Junior schools featured their allotments and class gardens. Bourne Mill, Colchester’s only National Trust property, opened its gardens as did the community garden on the recreation ground, which over the past five years has been developed by enthusiastic residents.

Admission to all 22 venues was by purchase of a programme for £3, giving full details of each one. Proceeds from the day totalled about £400 and were shared by the Red Cross and Butterfly Lodge Care Farm, Abberton. It was a most enjoyable visiting so many varied gardens, and meeting those who created them.