Caldecote Open Gardens this year will truly feature something for everyone – a children’s paradise, teas, mini music recitals, exhibits featuring 8 artists and a sports/classic car show!

Whether you’ve been every year or this will be your first time, you won’t be disappointed. People are coming from all over Cambridge and beyond for what is a great afternoon out for all ages. For a feel of the event, have a browse through last year’s photo gallery.

Time and place

Caldecote Open Gardens 2018 takes place over the weekend of Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June. The parish church, Sidewalk Coffee Shop and 14 gardens will be open both afternoons from 2pm to 6pm.

Tickets

Your ticket for the event is a programme with full list of gardens and attractions and a map. Buy a programme at your first garden you visit – all gardens will be marked by a ‘Garden Open’ post and balloons. £5 per adult – children free. Collect stickers to add to your programme and keep track of where you’ve visited. Children love them!

Dogs

Dogs are very welcome, as long as they are kept on leads (not all gardeners or fellow visitors will be natural doggy people, and some gardens have pet residents of their own), and accompanied by responsible owners who will clear up any gifts left by their pets!

Wheelchair accessibility

The gardens are of course gardens of private homes, and have not been specifically designed for wheelchair access, but many of them are largely accessible, even if some areas of them may be more difficult to explore. We’re sorry that there are no designated disabled access WC facilities. Buy your programme at the Sidewalk Coffee Shop on Furlong Way, and you’ll see a disabled access logo by the gardens which you’ll find easiest to enjoy – the entrance is wide enough for a chair, and there are no steps into the garden. Some of these gardens may have gravel paths or driveways, but experience has suggested they do not pose too much of a problem because of the depth or size of the stones. We would be glad of your feedback after the event, so that next year we can provide additional information in advance of the weekend.

Gardens opening this year

Here’s the map to get you started – it’s included with your programme, which you can buy at any of the gardens or the Sidewalk Coffee Shop, from 2pm.

Here’s the full line-up:

And here’s the line-up of music recitals in the church:

What’s on over the weekend

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest news and previews of the weekend. Here’s a taster of some of what will be on offer (attractions in red are new this year):

• 12+ gardens of all shapes and sizes – from wild to manicured and everything in between!
• afternoon teas served in three gardens both days
• tours of Caldecote Meadows by Natural England plant expert Monica O’Donnell

• short talks on gardening for wildlife by entomologist Donal O’Donnell
• Guinea Days Art Studio – humorous and inspirational pet portraits and garden-related sketches
• Handmade Italian cakes, pastries and biscuits by Biscotti di Debora
• Oil paintings by Mary-Ann Claridge

• Pencil portraits by Clive Whitfield (Sat 2-6pm; Sun 2-5pm)
• Susie McG Art – original artwork, prints and cards
• Miniature music recitals – solo cello, violin and organ (15 minutes every hour on the hour in the church)
• Children’s dream garden – every kind of play activity they can imagine!

• Children’s hunt for bee-friendly plants
• Bambi & Mitch handmade jewellery
• Caldecote Local History Group display
• Sale of Pakistani shoes and dresses, including salwar Kameez
• Onion bhaji snacks
• Tina Bone Art
• View Farm Arts – children’s art exhibition

• Mini show of classic and sports cars (weather permitting)
• Raffle with prizes up to £75 in value for gardeners, foodies and car enthusiasts!
• Aluna Rae DS Photography

• Caldecote Prints – unmounted, mounted or framed copies of Roger Sylvester Bradley’s aerial sketch of the village
• Morsbags stall – find out how to make your own environmentally friendly shopping bag
• Plant stall