On Sunday 28 June, the historic village of Whissendine in Rutland welcomed 200 attendees at its annual Open Gardens event.

Running for over a decade, the event celebrates community and tradition in the village and has become a staple of Whissendine's Feast Week celebrations, which has origins dating back to the Middle Ages.

For the very first time in 2026, local family-owned housebuilder Mulberry Homes opened the stunning garden of one of its show homes as part of the event. Located at Mulberry Homes at Whissendine, just outside the village itself, the development is nestled amongst rolling pasture and fields.

The show home garden was designed in collaboration with local Gates Garden Centre to create an outdoor space that perfectly complements the contemporary new-build home.

The garden combines structure, colour, fragrance and biodiversity in a space that is both practical and easy to maintain. Mulberry Homes and Gates Garden Centre worked closely together to transform a blank canvas into a tranquil and welcoming retreat that will look beautiful throughout the year.

Sophie Leathley, Senior Brand and Marketing Manager at Mulberry Homes, said: "It was a genuine pleasure to be part of this year's Whissendine Open Gardens and to welcome visitors to our show home garden for the very first time.

"The event is a wonderful celebration of the village and its residents, and we're thrilled that our garden could sit alongside so many beautiful private gardens to help make the day such a success.

"Supporting the communities in and around our developments is incredibly important to us, and events like this provide a fantastic opportunity for new and existing residents to come together. We'd like to thank the organisers and everyone who visited for making it such a memorable day."

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Across the quintessentially British village, 13 gardens were open for members of the public to view, including Mulberry Homes' show home garden.

Attendees were charged £5 entry to the event, with all proceeds donated to the Feast Week charities which support organisations in the village.

Alongside the gardens, visitors enjoyed a selection of drinks and snacks available for sale at Whissendine Village Hall, as well as garage sales across the village, making for an ideal family day out.

Linda Arnold, organiser of the Whissendine Open Gardens event, said; "We were delighted to welcome around 200 visitors to this year's Open Gardens. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the gardens and supporting the village on such a gloriously sunny Sunday.

"Thanks to everyone who came along! We raised £930 for the Feast Week fund, which supports good causes within the village - while the Village Hall also enjoyed a successful day serving refreshments, with proceeds raised helping to support its ongoing work within the community."

Following the Open Gardens event, attendees who purchase a home at Mulberry Homes at Whissendine will be able to take inspiration from the gardens in the community to create their own outdoor oasis, receiving a £500 gift voucher to spend at nearby Gates Garden Centre, Oakham, upon completion of their new home.

The voucher will have a 24-month expiry period and will be available on all plots reserved between 22 June and 30 September 2026.

The decision to open the garden at the show home forms part of Mulberry Homes commitment to supporting village life, helping new and existing residents to connect with the wider Whissendine community.

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Mulberry Homes continues to support the local community, having committed to contributing more than £800,000 to Rutland County Council to support a variety of infrastructure in the area; from highways and education to sports provision and health facilities.

For more information on Mulberry Homes at Whissendine, visit https://mulberryhomes.co.uk/developments/whissendine