Proud residents at a Histon care home have welcomed friends, families and neighbours into their beautiful garden. The special visit was part of this year’s Histon and Impington 10th Open Gardens event. The grounds at Bramley Court Care Home on Chivers Way were a huge hit among the visitors.
The home provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for local people. Residents were delighted to showcase their unique wrap-around garden which they have helped to shape.
Resident Gardeners Share Their Passion
Keen gardener Jenny Phillips, 81, was one of the founding members of the Open Gardens event back in 2007. The talented resident also had her own hand-sculpted cat and snails on display in the garden. Jenny said: "It was wonderful to be part of Open Gardens again. The gardens here are a joy and we were very pleased to share them with our friends and neighbours."
Resident Brenda Dickinson, 91, has also always loved gardening and has planted red geraniums outside her room. Brenda said: "Foxes used to visit my garden and I loved the glorious red geraniums that grew in the outdoor Lido where I swam as a child. I’ve recreated those memories here with my own red geraniums and my pottery fox, Felix. It was wonderful to show our garden to visitors and see how much they enjoyed it."
A Team Effort with the Gardener
Jen Lumb has been the gardener at the home for five years. She works closely with the residents to ensure the planting reflects their personalities and memories. Jen said: "I get so excited about the garden and I love that the residents share that excitement with me. We’re all part of the Bramley family and the garden is very much a team effort. Residents regularly share ideas and memories, which often inspire what we plant and create. One resident told me how hollyhocks towered above them as a child, so we planted some here. It’s those stories that make the garden so special. We all loved hearing visitors’ compliments during Open Gardens and the residents thoroughly deserved them."
Award Recognition and Community Success
The home is proud to have been shortlisted for a trophy at the national Dementia Care Awards 2026. Outdoor spaces play an important role in everyday life at the home, featuring a raised pond and an outdoor café. Instead of a formal gardening club, the home encourages residents to walk through the grounds together with the home's dog, Pip. The accessible space includes wheelchair-friendly raised beds, sensory herbs and mobile gardens in wheelbarrows. The grounds also feature a potting shed, a mini orchard and a playhouse for visiting children. The home even hosts regular talks with the retired Head Gardener of Anglesey Abbey to inspire the residents.
The biennial community event was a huge success and welcomed more than 200 visitors in total. Bramley Court raised in excess of £300 for local charities through donations and by serving afternoon tea. Guests left wonderful comments in the visitor book, calling the garden beautiful, tranquil and absolutely stunning.
The home is led by Jade Hackett. She said: "We are incredibly proud to have been part of this event and to have shared our garden with the local community, who are very much part of our home story. We have children and students who visit us regularly and have built strong community connections, so Open Gardens was a wonderful opportunity to bring people together through a shared love of gardening. The garden continues to have a positive impact on our residents and be a place for connection, reminiscence and shared experiences. It helps our residents stay active, engaged and connected with nature."
Location: Cambridge in Cambridgeshire
