Weekend of 27th and 28th June 2026

Chorlton Open Gardens was the weekend of Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June 2026, 11am – 4pm each day.

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

New on Sunday 28th at 3pm, there was a Gardeners Question Time at Chorlton Central Church, with live horticultural panel plus GQT regular Cleve West online, booked through eventbrite (and find more details of panel here).

Garden descriptions were given in the colourful maps, and included 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 served teas and other refreshments.

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.

Offer Your Garden

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

Send us an email through the link in the footer, and we’ll get in touch – please bear with us, we’re a small core group and don’t meet very often.

Chorlton Open Gardens raises money for two charities:

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

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, and supplies donated clothes and other essentials to asylum seekers living in hotels locally or housed across Greater Manchester.