▁garden ▁is ▁maintained ▁by ▁volunte ers ▁and ▁has ▁remained ▁open ▁to ▁visitors ▁every ▁Friday ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁Sunday ▁of ▁the ▁month . ▁In ▁summer ▁there ▁are ▁occas ional ▁arts ▁events ▁and ▁play ▁read ings . ▁ ▁The ▁Gard ens ▁ ▁The ▁grounds ▁of ▁the ▁estate , ▁originally ▁called ▁the ▁Avenue ▁House ▁Est ate , ▁but ▁now ▁trad ing ▁as ▁Steph ens ▁House ▁and ▁Gard ens , ▁were ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁public ▁park ▁during ▁the ▁tw enti eth ▁century . ▁They ▁cover ▁ten ▁acres ▁and ▁include ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁rare ▁and ▁unusual ▁trees ▁and ▁shr ubs . ▁ ▁A men ities ▁include ▁a ▁children ' s ▁play ground , ▁a ▁p ond , ▁a ▁w alled ▁garden ▁within ▁a ▁structure ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Both y , ▁and ▁a ▁c afé . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁A H ET ▁approached ▁the ▁Heritage ▁Lot tery ▁Fund ▁and ▁the ▁Big ▁Lot tery ▁about ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁seeking ▁grant ▁aid ▁to ▁restore ▁the ▁gard ens ▁under ▁their ▁joint ▁' P arks ▁for ▁People ' ▁programme . ▁ ▁After ▁pre lim inary ▁appro val ▁late ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁a ▁Ph ase ▁ 1 ▁application ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁was ▁not ▁successful , ▁but ▁a ▁further ▁application ▁submitted ▁early ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁grant ▁of ▁just ▁over ▁£ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁enable ▁A H ET ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁full ▁scheme ▁towards ▁the ▁rest oration . ▁▁▁