One of Ipswich’s best-kept gardening secrets is opening its gates again for another plant sale.
Looking to give your garden an autumn boost while supporting a great local cause?
The team at ActivLives Chantry Walled Garden is inviting Ipswich residents to its Autumn Plant Sale on Thursday 1 October, offering the chance to pick up quality plants, enjoy homemade cake and discover one of the town’s most inspiring community spaces.
Taking place from 10am to 2pm at the charity’s plant nursery in Chantry Park, the sale comes just as many gardeners are looking to replace plants lost during the summer heat and prepare their gardens for the cooler months ahead.
Visitors can browse a wide selection of plants grown by ActivLives volunteers, many of them chosen for being drought-tolerant, wildlife-friendly and ideal for Suffolk gardens. The team will be on hand throughout the day to offer advice and share their gardening knowledge.
Beyond the plants, the event is a chance to experience the welcoming community that has grown around the walled garden. Visitors can enjoy tea, coffee and homemade cakes at Nursery Cottage while learning more about the projects that help people across Ipswich improve their wellbeing, build confidence and connect with others.
The Chantry Walled Garden has become something of a hidden gem for many local residents, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds through gardening, learning and shared outdoor activity.
Every purchase helps support ActivLives’ work across Ipswich and Suffolk, funding opportunities for people to learn new skills, improve their health and wellbeing, make friends and become more involved in their local community.
The charity is also committed to sustainable gardening, growing plants in peat-free compost and specialising in bee and butterfly-friendly varieties that help support local pollinators. Visitors are encouraged to return ActivLives pots, trays and labels for reuse, helping to reduce plastic waste.
If you can’t make the sale, the nursery is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm, offering plenty of opportunities to explore the garden and support the project.
Event Details
Autumn Plant Sale
📍 ActivLives Chantry Walled Garden, Chantry Park, Ipswich IP2 0BS
📅 Thursday 1 October 2026
⏰ 10am to 2pm
The nearest parking is in the Chantry Park car park near the mansion off Hadleigh Road. For location details visit: https://activlives.org.uk/activgardens/chantry-walled-garden/
Image: John Ferguson
ActivLives
160 Hadleigh Road Ipswich IP2 0HH
ActivLives is a local independent charity working in Ipswich and across Suffolk to keep people active, connected and involved with their local community through accessible sports and exercise, learning new skills and volunteering opportunities.
Events with ActivLives
- Tue 8th Sep 2026
- Tue 8th Sep 2026
- Wed 9th Sep 2026
- Wed 9th Sep 2026
- Wed 9th Sep 2026
Who wrote this about Ipswich?
Sam Sherman
Sam is a Co-Founder of Ipswich.love. Passionate about Ipswich, Sam looks to see how we might jointly reverse some of the recent negativity and bring some deserved positivity back to our beloved Town.
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