Open Gardens
Video & Gallery | Parking and Facilities | Entrance Charge | Usual Programme & Attractions | Sponsors | History of Event | Contacts
For the last 42 years, not including a couple of recent cancellations for covid lockdowns, on the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday of August the Suffolk village of Walsham le Willows opens its garden gates to the public as part of the quintessential English summer event, an Open Gardens Weekend.
The weekend is not just about the 35 gardens and landscaped spaces but also brass bands, an art exhibition and a floral display in the Church, music in the Church, a Village Market, plant stalls and of course, delicious refreshments on both days in two venues, the Memorial Hall (behind bowling green) and the Priory Room (near St Mary’s Church) where delicious light snacks, lunches, homemade teas and cakes are provided by people of the village. In addition there is a Barbecue, Pizzeria and Bar on both days in Garden No. 9.
Visitors come not only for the gardens but also the appreciation of the calm and serenity that is created by the event over the two days.
“…we had heard about Walsham but never been. We will be back next year…”
A flavour of the atmosphere of the real event
“…we go to a lot of open gardens events and this is the best…”
Parking and Facilities
Car parking for the event is well signed and is immediately opposite the church. The main car park often fills up in which case you will be directed to a neighbouring field. Both car parks are well signed and attended. There is also ample parking for coaches on hard standing, although if you are planning a coach party we would welcome call in advance so that we can make suitable arrangements. There is no separate charge for car parking, the only charge being the entry ticket.
Parking for disabled people is available and clearly marked on the hardstanding at the entrance to the main car park.
There are WC facilities suitable for the disabled at both the Priory Room and the Memorial Village Hall and other temporary facilities located in the village and clearly marked on the centrefold map in the program.
We pride ourselves on the wonderful refreshments served throughout the day and there are full details in the program but in essence the places to go are the Priory Room for tea and coffee with light snacks cakes and scones, the Memorial Village Hall for the same and for more substantial lunches and tea’s and Garden no9 for a full BBQ experience, sourdough pizza’s and a full bar with local keg ales and fine wines.
The Gardens MiniBus Service (look out for the Turners bus) travels around the village on both days. The service will run from 10:45 until 18:00 for those who would like a bit of help getting around all the gardens. The bus makes regular circuits of the village. It’s free and available to anyone – just wave it down and get on and then be dropped off at the next garden.
For your convenience! Toilets can be found around the Village, positioned in the following locations and also highlighted on the map at the centre fold of the programme:•
- At Church Farm Barns which is at the entrance to the event.
- At Four Ashes in Garden no 9.
- At the Memorial Village Hall including disabled facilities.
- At the Priory Room including disabled facilities.
- In the entrance of CLARKE’s of Walsham at the Village Market.
- At the entrance to the School on the Wattisfield Road.
First Aid at the event will be provided bt First Aid providers Suffolk Medical Services (www.suffolkmedicalservices.co.uk) with whom the Walsham le Willows Open Gardens Trust has had a long standing relationship.
- Their team are on duty throughout the weekend, located at the side entrance to the MemorialVillage Hall, and all as shown on the map at the centre of the programme.
- In a medical emergency the following numbers can be used: On the Sunday Ali Harvey is on 07890 637593 and on the Monday Ken Hawley is on 07734 949422
- You can also call John, one of the organisers on 07831 325610 or Garth on 07768 907604
We sincerely hope that your visit to Walsham is without incident.
Entrance Charge
The entrance charge for the weekend is £8 per person with children under 16 free of charge and this will enable you to come on both days if you wish to do so.
The entrance fee includes copy of our detailed programme of events during the two days and:
• Entrance to all gardens
• Entrance to all other events
• Free parking and free travel on the village bus.
*To enable GIFT AID to be claimed the entrace charge includes a voluntary contribution of 10%. Please make sure you sign a GIFT AID form on arrival.
Alternatively, visitors can elect to pay the standard entrance fee £7.25.
Usual Programme of Events & Attractions
11 am to 6pm both days unless otherwise indicated
Village Market
- Now has a new home, housed in a largetent in the yard of the famous CLARKE’s OF WALSHAM and at the heart of the village. Here you will be able to browse the stalls selling a variety of things: plants, honey, crafts, cards & gift wrap, skincare ,homewares and furniture, decorative plant pots, facepainting, personalised prints and crafts, jewellery, fabric and bags, handmade creatures made from cutlery and other things, all well worth a detour into the yard as you walk along The Street.
- Whilst you are in CLARKE’S yard then you may want to take a look into their Country Store whichwill be open over the whole weekend.
- There are various other stalls in and around the Memorial Village Hall.
Events in the Church
- Art display and sale of local artists work.
- Floral display on the theme of ‘A celebration of the Garden.
- Bell ringing displays at the start and the finish of both days.
- See below for musical events in the church.
- Walsham History Group will present an exhibition in the Church over both days.
Music in the Village
- Breckland Brass Band will play in the Memorial Hall car park on Sunday between 2pm and 4pm.
- Gislingham Silver Band will play in the Memorial Hall car park on Monday between 2pm and 4pm.
- We have the Arcadian Recorder Consort at Memorial Village Hall from 1.30pm on both days.
In St Mary’s…
- Again we are privileged to have Angel Delight, a Harp and Flute duo playing in St Mary’s Churchon both days. We are grateful to Adriene and Anne for giving their time to us.
- Alastair Blay is playing his classical guitar on Sunday and then on Monday he will play Schubert on the piano and thanks to him for supporting the event.
- Once again we welcome and thank Ivan Alderton on both days and he will play the lovely Porrittorgan and the piano.
- Our own Mary Kidd will also be contributing to the event on the organ
At the end of both days…
- impromptu performances by local musicians at the BBQ and Pizza experience in Garden no9.
Other attractions
- Marvel at the Flower Power Project along the churchyard wall.
- Floral display in St Mary’s Church – Once again the flower arrangers amongst us have excelled to create another floral display in St Mary’s, this year on the theme of ‘Nursery Rhymes’. Enjoy the beautiful arrangements as you stroll around the pews.
- Lunches and teas in and around the Memorial Village Hall and the return of the famous Walsham Meringues this year.
- Tea, coffee, savouries, cakes and scones AND meringues in the Priory Room.
- BBQ, Pizza’s and a well-stocked bar in Garden no 9
- The Village Market will be operating, this year from the yard of CLARKE’s of Walsham which is on The Street and well signposted.
- On Monday the 26th at 1pm the BURY FAIR Women’s Morris team will entertain us in the driveway of CLARKE’s of Walsham.
- Birds and Beyond Falconry in the churchyard.
- There will be bowls matches on both days on the bowling green adjacent to the Memorial Village Hall.
- There are vintage and classic cars on both days in Garden no 9.
- Rob Wheeler our local potter will have his studio open behind his Garden no 16 with items forsale and we hope he will be demonstrating some throwing on the potters wheel although havingjust had a knee replacement that might be tricky.
- There are tortoises in Garden no 6 again and that is not to be missed.
- What about the Pimm’s and Produce tent at the allotments which is Garden no 26.
- A special mention for the Walsham Wild Wood and the newly planted Jubilee Wood as Garden 29 which are both glorious after the wet spring.
“…we had a lovely lunch in the village hall and it’s such good value…”
“much credit must go to your entertaining staff. I haven’t enjoyed my lunch so much in years ! It’s lovely to see traditional values with a real ambience of a traditional summer fare!”
History of Event
The Walsham-le-Willows Open Gardens Weekend can certainly claim to be one of the best, longest running and most successful Open Gardens events in East Anglia and probably the country.
The idea for the Open Gardens in Walsham was first suggested by the then vicar of St Mary’s Church, the Rev. John Rutherford but credit for the ongoing developments of the Open Gardens event must be given to the late Hilary Russell, a plantswoman whose extraordinary energy and leadership is looked upon as being the reason why so many visitors now come to Walsham le Willows on the Sunday and Monday of the August Bank Holiday.
Over the years many people have dedicated a lot of time to organising the event but former chairman Robin Newell deserves a special mention for his untiring efforts and organisational ability. He has now handed the mantle to Collen Baker who has served on the committee for many years. The late Dr Alec Russell gave so much help to his wife and who was the original Chairman of the organising committee, also deserves a mention. But the weekend relies on the hard work of many people and every year there are over 200 are involved in one way or another to pull everything together.
Funds raised at the Open Gardens are for village causes and most importantly the maintenance of the fabric of St. Mary’s Church, a magnificent example of a typical 15th Century East Anglian Church and worth a visit in its own right. So far over £120,000 has been raised by Open Gardens for the church.
Contacts
email John Stebbing (Secretary)
2 Vine Cottages
The Street
Walsham le Willows
Suffolk IP31 3AZ
01359 259 061 / 07831 325 610
Visit some other open gardens events, find more at opengardens.co.uk