Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to work as part of the gardening team in a big estate garden? Or how exciting it would be to be a part of a grand garden restoration scheme?

Well, now is your chance to find out because Tom Attwood, head gardener at Rydal Hall, is looking for volunteers to help with the restoration of the gardens.

I have been following Tom's progress via his weekly blog' (that's a web-log, or online diary, for the non-technical among us) on the Westmorland Gazette's website (www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk) and last week, while the weather was fine, I decided to pay him a visit to see how the work was coming on.

I was very impressed by the advances that have been made in the few short weeks that have passed since Tom started work as head gardener. Against a backdrop of workmen relaying paths, rebuilding walls and restoring the ornate balustrades, he and his small band of helpers have been beavering away on the horticultural tasks involved in bringing the gardens back up to scratch.

They haven't been cutting any corners eitherthe hedges have been neatly clipped and each bed in the formal terraced garden has been cleared of overgrown plants and pernicious weeds, before having a topdressing of soil improver dug in to aerate and enhance the texture of the soil. The beds will be planted in spring, the design based on Thomas Mawson's original plans from 1909.

In other areas Tom has been clearing overgrown shrubberies, cutting down rampant choisya, sycamore and rhododendron to reveal the original structure of the garden beneath. Under the canopy of some of the larger trees he has plans to replant with woodland perennials, including primulas and blue poppies.

One of the most exciting areas of the garden to be included in the restoration is the old kitchen garden. Forget any ideas you might have of foursquare brick walls with symmetrical beds around a central dipping pool; Tom describes this as a walled garden with topography' and that's exactly what it is slate walls surrounding a huge area of undulating ground, somewhat reminiscent of a fell-side, complete with trees, shrubs and a small stream!

Much of the ground has already been cleared and is waiting to be graded into beds for growing vegetables, which Tom hopes will be used in the hall and caf. A new glasshouse is going in this winter.

If you would like to be involved in the restoration of the formal gardens at Rydal, or to help with the kitchen garden project, you can get in touch with Tom by e-mail on attwood.tom@gmail.com or phone Rydal Hall on 015394 -32050 Jobs for the gardener this week...

Plant lily bulbs in the garden, at a depth of 2-3 times the height of the bulb. Add grit and leaf mould to the soil to encourage strong growth.

Clean up strawberry beds, removing dead leaves and any unwanted runners.

Try to keep a good flow of air in the greenhouse, to prevent fungal diseases developing in stagnant conditions. Open vents during the day, or run a small fan heater on a cool setting.