Boxford to celebrate 21st anniversary of annual open gardens

Boxford Open Gardens celebrates its 21st anniversary with new gardens, lots of tea and cake and a choir.

Twenty-five gardens will be open to members the public for viewing on Sunday, June 3, from 11am to 4pm.

The 21st annual Boxford Open Gardens, sponsored by local businesses and supported by villagers willing to give up their time, raises money for St Mary’s Church. Over the last 20 years, more than £50,000 has been raised from the annual event.

Organiser Sarah Williams said: “We hope people will come to see the beautiful gardens we have on show.

“This year, we have five new gardens, including two in new locations. There are also two art studios open for the day.

“There’s lots to see and do, and we even have a newly-formed choir called Madrigalia will be performing in one of the gardens.”

This year promises to be a colourful and busy day, with around 500 visitors expected to view the large variety of gardens on display.

Elizabeth and Mike Tissier will be putting their garden in Boxford Lane on show. The couple have lived in the village for nine years, and their four-and-a-half-acre garden has been an ongoing project since they moved in.

Elizabeth said: “We have planted a formal garden around the house and then created areas with interest for all the year round. It’s such a pleasure to see how the garden has developed and changed over the years.”

A shuttle bus runs from the car park of The White Hart pub, in Broad Street, from 11am to 1pm and from 1.30pm to 4pm.

In addition to a cake stall in the village – all cakes baked and donated by villagers – there will be tea and cakes available from some of the gardens, with lunches and afternoon teas served by volunteers in the village hall.

Visitors who fancy getting a bird’s eye view of the village can climb the tower of St Mary’s, which will be open from 1pm to 3pm.

The main sponsor is Boxford drinks company Konings UK and Phil Clark, site lead, said: “As a major local employer, we understand the closeness of the relationship between the village and many of the products that we manufacture.

“We are pleased to have helped to facilitate the sponsorship of this year’s Boxford Opens Gardens.”