Walsham le Willows Open Gardens Weekend set to mark its 44th anniversary

Heralded as one of the best, longest-running and most successful Open Garden events in the east of England is set to celebrate its 44th anniversary in a couple of months’ time. (See advert on this page).

Up to 40 gardens and spaces will be featured this year at the Walsham le Willows Open Gardens Weekend on August 30 and 31, Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday, 

The gardens and spaces range from large to minuscule and a Wild Wood and a traffic island.

The charge this year is £10 per person including a 10 per cent gift aid donation or £9 without Gift Aid. 

Those who unable to get around the village on the first day can come back on the second day for free.  

This year the village is in the middle of a trial of an organic top dressing provided by local company Growrite.

The organization is so well established in the Walsham year that a Charitable Trust has been created.

The weekend relies on the hard work of lots of people and this year there will be over 250 of them involved in some way or another; the garden owners, the people who bake, the catering teams around the village, the car parking teams and many many more. 

Funds raised at the event are for village causes and most importantly for the maintenance of the fabric of the local church St Mary’s the Virgin which remains a magnificent example of a typical 15th Century East Anglian place worship.

Visitors don’t only come for the gardens, however lovely, they appreciate the calm and serenity of the village and listen to music which is coming from the Breckland Brass Band and the Gislingham Silver Band who are due to perform at the Memorial Village Hall, along with two gardens who are hosting the Arcadian Recorder Consort and the Suffolk Clarinet Quartet.

There is bell ringing demonstrations, an art exhibition and  sale together with floral art in the church with musical entertainment from Angels Delight, a harp and flute duo together with organists playing the restored organ and the piano

Bury Fair Morris and the Hoxon Hundred will also strut their stuff over the weekend.

Visitors will be welcomed by the results of hundreds of hours of work to create the Flower Power project, literally thousands of crocheted and knitted flowers attached to netting, adorning the wall of the churchyard.

A Village Market will be at the entrance to the event where people can enjoy and sample the best of the Suffolk countryside.

There will be birds of prey in the churchyard and giant tortoises will be roaming one of the open gardens.

Refreshments are available at the Memorial Village Hall and the Priory Room, where light snacks, lunches, teas and cakes are provided.

There is a barbecue and Pizza experience in Garden no 9 together with a licensed bar and a display of vintage and classic cars on both days.

John Stebbing, the secretary of the Open Gardens Trust and a member of the organising committee, said: “A lot of work by a lot of people has gone into making the Walsham Open Gardens event the success that it has been over the years and we thank them for all their efforts again this year. 

“It’s a lovely day out and in these difficult times we don’t think you will get better value for money, especially as we have managed to keep the entrance charge to £10 a head and that gives access on both days. 

“Where in East Anglia can you have two full days out for such a small amount? 

“We hope that the sun shines and that our visitors, some who have been before and some who will be new to Walsham, will have a brilliant time in our lovely village.”