From grand gardens to small family spaces; community choirs to clarinet ensembles – there’s something for everyone to enjoy at this year’s H&I Open Gardens. As programmes for the event go on sale, organiser Denise Walker shares what’s in store.
Sixteen gardens will go on show this month as Histon and Impington Open Gardens returns for its 10th year. Taking place from 11am-5pm on Sunday 14 June, this year’s event sees a wide selection of gardens of all shapes and sizes open to the public.
Visitors will be able to enjoy beautiful gardens and musical performances all within walking distance. Each garden has a very different feel, but all illustrate the ways in which outdoor spaces enhance our lives.
All gardens great and small
This year’s selection is certainly an eclectic mix – from a neighbourhood garden bringing community to an unused public space, a therapeutic garden for children, to a graveyard community garden for wildlife. And new for this year is a sensory journey through a care home garden.
You’ll also find a wealth of beautiful family gardens, including some old favourites and new additions to the event. And of course, there will be the ever-popular refreshments and plant stalls.
This year, all proceeds raised will be shared between Histon & Impington Feast, Breast Friends, Cambridge Acorn Project and Deaf Reach charities.
Music for a summer’s day
A particular highlight of Open Gardens is the chance to hear live music by local musicians, and this year is no exception, with no fewer than 11 acts. As always, the organisers are hugely grateful to Kathryn Nall for coordinating such a fantastic programme of performances.
Local community choir The Impingtones, who are also celebrating their 10th birthday this year, will be supporting the event again with pop, folk and musical favourites. There will be jazz from Rilassati, Irish folk music from Susan and Friends and brass quartet Four Larks.
Clare House Clarinets will entertain garden visitors with classical arrangements, Joplin rags and Gershwin songs, while Tous les Trois Sax Trio will play jazz, swing, pop and more. From Shakey Breaks the Ice, you can expect swing jazz, mixed with French café music, gypsy and Klezmer tunes, while Dan Ecclestone and Pete Bull will play popular song arrangements for the garden.
Flute ensemble Offshoot Flutes will be performing, and visitors can also enjoy recorder music from across the ages from Patricia Davies.
Finally, local music students will be on hand to perform an eclectic mix of solo and band performances. You can find the full listing, with locations, at the back of the event programme, and performance times will be released on the website and social media a few days before the day itself.
The event details you need:
- The programme is your entry ticket and costs £5 in advance, from Station Stores, Saint Andrew’s Centre Café, Gin House Flowers, Topiary Tree and Histon Post Office (cash only) or from the stall on the Green on Saturdays 6 and 13 June, 10am-12pm.
- On the day, programmes cost £6, available from participating gardens (cash only) or the Green (contactless available, plants for sale).
- Accompanied under-16s are free. Please try to have the correct change when paying in cash.
For more information, visit the Open Gardens website, Facebook or Instagram.
READ ALSO: Celebrating 20 blooming marvellous years – a potted history of Open Gardens! and Choir, community and cake… Celebrating 10 years on song!
