Rose Week at Chippenham Park - One of Cambridgeshire's Finest Rose Gardens, Open 30 May to 7 June
- Hugo
- May 21
- 3 min read
After one of the driest Aprils in recent memory, the rain has finally arrived — and with it, something rather special. Cooler temperatures throughout May have slowed the season just enough to create a long, gentle, beautifully extended spring here at Chippenham Park, one of Cambridgeshire's most-loved RHS Partner Gardens.
The result is a rose garden that is building towards what promises to be one of its finest seasons in years. And from Saturday 30th May, you are warmly invited to come and see it for yourself.
An Unusually Gentle Transition Into Summer
Instead of racing from one flowering moment to the next, the gardens at Chippenham Park have unfolded at a more leisurely pace this year. In many seasons, spring feels fleeting — a dazzling burst of colour gone almost as quickly as it arrives. This year has been different. Every stage has lingered a little longer, allowing visitors to truly savour the changing colours, scents and textures as the season turns.
Since opening earlier in the season, the gardens have carried visitors through the first snowdrops and winter aconites, through hellebores and blossom, drifts of daffodils and the season's very first roses. Now, as late spring merges into early summer, we are entering one of the most spectacular moments of the gardening year.
What's Flowering Right Now in the Gardens
The daffodils and tulips have faded back into the borders, making way for sweeping areas of long grass and delicate cow parsley. The recent rain has transformed the lawns into rich carpets of green. Salvias, peonies, irises and dramatic foxtail lilies are all poised to burst into flower.
At the lake, the bridge is completely drenched in fragrant wisteria, while the water lilies are just beginning their long summer display. Fruit is already forming on the crab apples, pears, plums and figs — fresh signs of the abundance still to come.
And everywhere you look, the roses are preparing for their grand arrival.
The Rose Garden Season in Cambridgeshire – Worth the Wait
Rosebuds are swelling daily in the warmer weather, with temperatures forecast to climb above 25 degrees next week — perfect timing for what promises to be a magnificent rose season. After weeks of careful pruning, feeding and preparation by our gardening team, the rose gardens and herbaceous borders are almost ready to reach their peak.
Chippenham Park's rose garden is one of the highlights of the entire year — a place where fragrant climbing roses tumble over stone walls, where the air is thick with scent on warm afternoons, and where every turn of the path reveals something new in bloom. If you have never visited during rose season, this year is the year to come.
Rose Week Opening from 30 May until 7 June 2026
We are delighted to open the gardens for our much-anticipated Rose Week from Saturday 30th May until Sunday 7th June. This is one of the most beautiful windows of the year to visit - nine days when the rose garden, the summer borders, the wisteria, the lakeside walks and the historic parkland all come together at their very best.
Whether you are passionate about roses, seeking inspiration for your own garden, or simply looking for a beautiful open garden to visit in Cambridgeshire this early summer — you are welcome here.
During Rose Week, visitors can look forward to:
Fragrant climbing roses and rambling roses in full bloom
Spectacular colourful summer borders and seasonal planting
Wisteria, peonies, irises and water lilies
Peaceful lakeside walks and historic garden views across 35 acres
Woodland walks, garden sculptures and the walled garden
The Potting Shed Café — with delicious light bites, fresh soups and hot dogs, and both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the gardens
Plan Your Visit to Chippenham Park Rose Gardens
Rose Week runs Saturday 30th May to Sunday 7th June 2026, 10am–5pm daily.
Entry is on the gate — no booking required.
We are a cash-only facility, so please do come prepared.
RHS Members enjoy free entry Monday to Friday.
Annual seasonal tickets are also available — perfect if you plan to return throughout the summer.
Chippenham Park is located near Newmarket on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border, easily reached from Cambridge, Ely, Bury St Edmunds and the wider East Anglian region.
