Because the main objective of the garden is to keep it in the way former owners the Keating sisters would have wanted, being a volunteer requires a some level of skill and commitment. Plant vandals and people in a rush need not apply!

At the moment the garden has three volunteers - Joan Smith, Tony Hatton and Susanne Millard. Joan is the longest serving of the three. She came to Plas yn Rhiw in June 1997 as a volunteer in the house and garden at first, gradually finding her place in the garden.

Since 2000 Joan has also fitted in working for the Trust over the summer months as the supervisor for their Llŷn car parks. This means of course that she misses out on the fruits of her labours, as she can only fit in the volunteering during the quieter winter months. Then she does two to three days and says: "I really look forward to the winter when I can go and work in the garden. I love being outdoors. I only have a patio at home. It would be a dream-come-true if I could work in the garden the whole time. Tim always gives me a choice of things to do, but I tell him I'd rather he tell me what he needs doing first!"

Joan worked for 18 years as the entertainments manager at the Butlins holiday camp near Pwllheli and after she was made redundant felt useless and needed something to do. She had always had an interest in the environment, and so decided to volunteer with the Trust. "I enjoy the company, the chats and I've learned a lot," she says.

Susanne Millard volunteered in the garden at Waddeson Manor in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, for five years. The garden there was much larger and had everything from "a former parterre down to wilderness."

In her working life Susanne, who has a degree in social science, worked in training and personnel, doing a lot of work with schools. She decided to volunteer in the garden at Plas yn Rhiw after returning to live in Wales, after years of moving backwards and forwards between England and Wales, due to work commitments.

"I love the way things are done properly in National Trust gardens," she says, "There's none of that 'that'll do' mentality. Working with a National Trust gardener is the best way to learn."

A keen gardener herself she strives to garden organically at home too. "Volunteering in a National Trust garden is the best training you could have, and I really enjoy meeting the people as well."

The newest recruit is Tony Hutton. Now living in Abersoch, Tony spent his working life as a mechanical engineer travelling all over the world in the 60s and 70s, working in the chemical industry setting up fertilizer plants.

He first came to Wales 49 years ago on the train to Borth y Gest, a section of railway long closed. He continued visiting and by the time he was ready to retire, Wales seemed a better option than his Cheshire home, which was three miles from the end of the runway at Manchester airport!

"I prefer to work here on Tuesdays," says Tony, "As it's the day the Plas is closed there's no risk of someone asking me a question!"

Tony's route to volunteering came in the form of a chat with someone from the Trust whilst on a visit to Penrhyn Castle near Bangor. He duly sent off his volunteer application form to the area head office in Llandudno, stating that he was interested in gardening. When the Trust realised he lived in Abersoch they offered him a place working at Plas yn Rhiw.