Since 1888, Braintree and Bocking Gardens has belonged to the people of Braintree and continued its legacy as a calm space for the community.
Upon entering the gardens at the western entrance, visitors are welcomed by the Coffee House in the Gardens.
The former gatekeeper’s cottage has increasingly become a community hub alongside serving delicious coffee, handmade breakfast and lunch seven days a week from 10am to 2pm, since it opened in 2015.
Café – Coffee House in the Gardens welcomes visitors to the space(Image: Newsquest)
Tranquil – The gardens are a beautiful spot for the community to enjoy(Image: Newsquest)
A large grass area beckons beyond, where visitors can picnic, relax or play and get their first glimpse of the more than 200 trees and carefully maintained flower beds deeper in the gardens.
With a play area and bandstand at the edge of the lush green, the area has become a popular spot for the gardens’ delightful annual events, including brass band concerts throughout the summer, the Festival in the Gardens and a classic car show.
The gardens will soon host the annual Christmas market, where, for three November evenings, there will be crafts, food, a bar, gifts, and Santa’s grotto.
Active – The gardens host several annual popular events(Image: Newsquest)
Between the large grass area and the deep gardens sit two tennis courts, which can be booked for £7 an hour online. Surrounded by trees, open to the sunshine, and with ample seating for spectators, the gardens’ tennis courts are a spectacularly scenic place to practise a classic sport.
It’s clear the gardens are proud of their trees, evidenced by the sign near the café which works as a guide to all the trees in the garden and the placards of QR codes scattered throughout the foliage to scan and learn from.
Gardens – The John Ray Garden is nestled in the centre of the five-acre site(Image: Newsquest)
Lovingly grown flower beds offer bursts of colour amid the earthy landscape, with a special garden – the John Ray Garden, maintained by the John Ray Trust – situated in the heart of the five-acre space.
Deep in the gardens, where most carefully structured footpaths lead, is a true gem – the pond, complete with a small gurgling fountain and elegant lily pads.
A bridge embraced by flowers watches the pond from one side, while a footpath circles the round basin, lined with comfortable benches to enjoy the water, the air and the nature.
Peaceful – Visitors can recline on a bench at the edge of the pond and listen to the fountain gurgle(Image: Newsquest)
The gardens are independently maintained by the Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens Trust, while the care and upkeep are funded entirely through the fundraising activities of the trustees and the efforts of volunteer gardeners. Anyone can support and become a friend to the gardens via the website.
Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens is a precious space for nature to thrive, tucked away and preserved for many years – and hopefully many more.
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