Chorlton Open Gardens 2026

Weekend of 27th and 28th June 2026

Chorlton Open Gardens will be the weekend of Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June 2026, from 11am – 4pm each day (please note new closing times).

We have a range of amazing, unusual or intimate spaces open to anyone carrying that day’s programme. Each day has a different set of interesting open spaces – mostly private gardens.

Programmes are now available. Please bring cash if possible*, and buy them from:

  • Chorlton Bookshop, Wilbraham Road (Mon – Sat, 9.30am – 5.30pm)
  • The Curious Fox, Beech Road (Mon – Sat, 10am – 5.30pm; Sun, 11am – 5pm)
  • Chorlton Plant Nursery, Vicars Road (Fri – Sun, 10am – 4pm)
  • Studio Critical, Oswald Road (when open)
  • and will be sold outside Unicorn Grocery on June weekends – 13th & 14th, plus 20th &21st June, roughly 10am-3pm, and on the Open Days, 27th and 28th June, from 11am until 3pm. We will have a card reader outside Unicorn*.

Programmes will be needed for each person at £5 per day; each will have a map and brief details of the gardens open that day. The charge has been kept as low as possible. Under 13s come free, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult with a programme.

*We ask for cash payments because we receive all the money if paid by cash. If paying by card or paypoint a transaction fee is paid to the card company.

Each garden description includes brief access details, plus whether there are other attractions and amenities, such as live music, craft sales, and in a few cases access to a toilet. Several gardeners will be serving teas and other refreshments – some may have a card reader, but please bring real cash – and preferably lots of change to make a purchase or donation.

Programmes

You can buy your programmes in advance (one needed per person per day), at a number of wonderful shops supporting Chorlton Open Gardens in 2026. Some outlets will be open for programmes on the days. Please bring cash if possible!

Click the yellow button to find out where and when you can buy programmes.

Our History

Chorlton Open Gardens was set up in 2013 to raise funds for Freedom From Torture (then called the Medical Campaign for the Care of Victims of Torture).

We have opened several times since then, with a range of different volunteer gardeners throwing their spaces open to the public.

Each year we get hundreds of visitors, and expanded in 2022 and 2023 to a 2-day event. You can look through our archive pages at our previous Open Gardens.

Who We Are

Chorlton Open Gardens (COG) is run by a tiny volunteer committee of previous and current gardeners (offers of help are always welcome!).

We recruit and support the gardeners each year, and provide publicity and administrative support.

The money raised each Open Gardens day is given to Freedom From Torture and another local volunteer charity, Chorlton Refugee Aid (part of Care UK).

Offer Your Garden

Thinking you’d like to show your garden in future!?

Click the button to find out more

Chorlton Open Gardens raises money for two charities:

Freedom from Torture

Freedom From Torture (FFT) provides professional psychological and medical support to people who have been tortured, and are now living in Greater Manchester, seeking asylum.

Chorlton Refugee Aid (Care UK)

Chorlton Refugee Aid (Care UK), a local volunteer group, supplies donated clothes and other essentials to asylum seekers living in hotels locally or housed across Greater Manchester.