York – Acomb Opens Gardens sells out its first event

The Press went along to the inaugural Acomb Open Gardens today (Sunday, May 31) and spoke to participants who were taking a break from showing ticket holders around their green spaces, as well as swapping tips.

The four-hour event sold all of its tickets with the aim of encouraging locals to experiment with their own gardens and showcase a variety of “real gardens, weeds included.”

There was an abundance of wildlife in Katherine Blaker’s front garden (Image: Kevin Glenton)

There were seed swaps, plants sales and proceeds from ticket sales are to be donated to Greater Acomb Community Forum and Acomb Explore Library.

The Fourm said this would support its volunteers’ planting work on Front Street in Acomb.

Organiser Katie Scott said the gardeners are very generous, and they want to share stories, as well as plants (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Organiser and participant Katie Scott said: “This is a group of very plant-focussed obsessives.

“Gardeners are very generous and they want to share stories, as well as plants.

“It’s not about “perfect” gardens – I keep my dandelions for guinea pig food.

“It’s an ongoing journey with nature.”

“The thing that we all have in common is that we all love Acomb.”

Katie said her cottage garden places its emphasis on perennials and roses.

Katie Scott’s cottage garden emphasises perennials and roses (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Sam Taylor and Tanya Stewart-Taylor have been tending their garden for forty years and are in there “all the time, with Sam adding that it acts as an “escape from reality.”

The space is estimated at 25 feet wide by 50 feet long (excluding the roof garden) and has space for sculptures, a biodome, a lodge, a woodland area and a potting area which is home to five frogs – Tanya said a pot per year has been added and the couple always find an excuse to add to the collection.

Steps leading to the woodland area of a garden roughly 25 feet wide by 50 feet across (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Katherine Blaker was hosting her very own garden party along with showing off her front garden, offering refreshments and cake, with those specific proceeds going to support non-profit Grow to Know, a gardening and social enterprise set up by former professional footballer Taysham Hayden-Smith.

Katherine Blaker replaced her front lawn was replaced with her own design for a gravel garden and deep, drought-tolerant planting (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Katherine replaced her front lawn with her own design and based it on a winter structure – a gravel garden with deep, drought-tolerant planting.

13 participants made up the sold-out Acomb Gardens 2026 across the same number of streets across a wide area.

Katie said proceeds after the event will be donated to the Greater Acomb Community Forum, with a portion given to Acomb Explore Library.