Downing College in Cambridge is opening up its 20-acre site to gardening enthusiasts from March to October 2026.
Exclusive gardens tour
Guided by Jack Sharp, Head Gardener, stroll through the College grounds, including some areas which are not normally open to the public, such as Fellows’, Master’s and Rose gardens. Maximum 20 people on each tour.
• Discover Downing’s garden history
• Learn about the established trees
• See how Jack’s team maintain and enhance the site
• Ask questions and chat over refreshments
Propagation workshop
Hands-on learning about how to propagate your plants for the summer season from the experienced gardening team, with ‘behind the scenes’ access to Downing’s propagation greenhouses. Maximum 10 people per date.
Horticulture experience days
Discover how a large scale garden is maintained.
This course is especially useful if you are thinking about retraining as a horticulture professional. Maximum two people per date. Work with the team for a day and get stuck into a range of tasks across the twenty-acre site, including tending herbaceous borders, lawn care schedules and helping with plant propagation in the greenhouses.
All tours and workshops are for those aged 16 years and over only.
