Open Gardens Fête

On Sunday, 14th June 2026, two of Abbotsbury’s historic houses (The Old Gatehouse and The Manor House, Church Street) will open their beautiful gardens to visitors.

Other village gardens will also be on display: (Abbey Farm Flowers, Church Street, a commercial flower garden; Abbey House, Licensed Guest House, Church Street; and Muddy Patches, scenic village garden centre, gift shop and animal sanctuary, West Street).

Our event will run concurrently with the first day of the Abbotsbury Festival of Landscape Art when 25+ selected artists will be invited to paint “en plein air”  between 10am and 4pm.

For details of the artists taking part, please visit www.abbotsburyarts.co.uk.

Programme for the day:

9am – artists arrive and set up
10am – artists begin painting
12Noon – gardens open to the public.  Adult admittance £5.39 (online)  Under 16’s free.
4pm – Live music begins outside the Barn
4pm – pizzas on sale from Pizza Van at the Barn
4pm – artists down brushes and move their work to the Barn
4.30pm – Gardens close to public.  Please make your way to Abbey Barn for Judging,

Silent Auction and Fizz Bar

Public vote: your favourite artist.  Vote closes 5pm.

From 5pm: Judging (*) followed by results of Public Vote and Silent Auction of Art.

COME AND BUY YOUR FAVOURITE PAINTING OF THE DAY AT A BARGAIN PRICE

Cash FIZZ BAR.

After the Silent Auction:

1. Cherries restaurant remains open for drinks
2. Pizzas available from Basilica Pizza (https://www.basilico.uk/)
3. Live music from Julie Lewis (https://soundcloud.com/julielewispiano)

*OUR JUDGES
We are very fortunate to have three experienced judges award the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes to our artists:

Kim Day, overall winner this year of the Sky Arts TV programme Landscape Artist of the Year.  Kim lives in Dorset.

Binny Matthews, runner-up in the Sky Arts TV programme Portrait Artist of the Year 2022.  Binny lives in Dorset.

Guy Morrison, eminent Fine Arts Dealer with a gallery in London.