WELCOME TO ACTIVGARDENS
NEW SEASON PLANTS!
Learn about Horticulture
Enjoy a range of horticultural activities in the safe, welcoming environment of the walled garden, at a pace to suit the individual. We offer work experience and placements, and run activities for older people with care needs.
What’s in the Walled Garden?
Chantry Walled Garden is a heritage walled garden in a public park, with flower borders and vegetable-growing areas, as well as extensive glasshouses as part of our plant nursery. Our base is cosy Nursery Cottage, where there is an accessible courtyard garden with raised beds for wheelchair users. The adjacent workshop has facilities for woodwork and basic construction. In this garden you can learn skills relevant to the horticultural industry as well as enjoy maintaining a garden full of history.
How many flowers…?
A range of horticultural activities are on offer, in the safe, welcoming environment of the walled garden, at a pace to suit you:
- Help maintain our flower borders full of heritage varieties
- Propagate and grow on plants for Ipswich parks and open spaces
- Meet and greet members of the public and help them pick a plant for their garden
- Gain work experience
- We have an entire garden area adapted for use by wheelchair users and people with mobility issues or disabilities, including older people.
OPENING HOURS
Volunteer days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9.00am till 2.30pm. Bespoke/ one to one sessions can be organised, by arrangement.
Please do get in touch if you would like to volunteer or get involved in any way.
Plant Nursery
A great place to learn industry skills, growing and tending plants, as well as buying our beautiful plants.
Heritage Garden
Lap up the atmosphere within the walls of our historical site – full of interesting features and beautiful plants.
Accessible Garden
A garden specially designed to ensure everyone can be involved in gardening.
Current Services and Projects
There are a range of different services and projects on offer at ActivGardens, to find out what we are currently running please click the button to be taken to our home page and then scroll down to look at the Current Services and Projects section.
Placements
Placements for young people and adults – learn skills, improve your health & wellbeing, socialise as part of a friendly team.
We offer a range of activities in the relaxed, welcoming environment of the People’s Community Garden, ActivSheds and Chantry Walled Garden, at a pace to suit the individual.
Being part of ActivGardens will enable you to learn practical skills, gain confidence, and develop friendships.
Programmes for schools
Exciting outdoor learning opportunities & skills development for young people.
We work with schools, colleges and other organisations to help develop young people – giving them a chance to learn hands-on, build confidence and self-esteem, and feel positive about their future.
Becoming a Volunteer
If you enjoy working with others in the great outdoors, then come and work at ActivGardens.
We have a variety of roles at our gardens and outreach sites, helping keep up with the work, contributing your skills, and supporting other people.
Location
Chantry Walled Garden
The address is: Chantry Walled Garden, Chantry Park, Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, IP2 0BS
Directions and parking: The nearest public car park is accessed off Hadleigh Road – turn right at top of driveway as you face the mansion. After parking, walk along the path round to right, past Sue Ryder stable block café and bowls pavilion on left. Keep straight on, passing Ipswich Borough Council gate entrance (DO NOT enter!); you will walk along the outer wall of IBC yard with a flower border and green iron gate on right (ignore this entrance). Go through wooden orchard gate straight ahead, and you will find a boardwalk leading to a second green iron gate. Turn in here and turn right towards greenhouses. Follow shingle path round; if no-one is in greenhouses, go through double wooden gates on right, and turn left to Nursery Cottage.
Buses:
Number 91 (to Hadleigh and Sudbury) leaves at regular intervals from Ipswich town centre. Ipswich buses run as far as Dickens Road. The site can be reached on foot from London Road.
Upcoming Activities & Events
Click below to find out more details
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