About Hydrangea Derby
Derby City Council began the hydrangea collection in 1984 at the request of Plant Heritage whose purpose is to stop plant species becoming extinct. Since April 2010 Hydrangea Derby, a voluntary group, has maintained and developed the garden in partnership with Derby City Council Parks Department. Within the hydrangea garden is the National Collection of Hydrangea paniculata containing more than 150 different cultivars.
Finding Us
We are at the north end of Darley Park, near a busy cafe and public toilets. Click on this map for the surrounding area. Click for a plan of Darley Park. Google Maps.
Nearest post codes for free parking: Darley Park Drive Car Park is DE22 1EN. Darley Street Car Park opposite The Abbey Inn is DE22 1DX. All vehicles and contents left at the owners risk.
Opening Times
The garden is in Darley Park, a public park run by Derby City Council. A third of the garden is open every day of the year but the remaining two thirds is in a walled garden on the same site. The gates to this part of the garden are kept closed while the plants are dormant because there isn’t much to see and because we like to throw open the gates in July, when the plants are coming into bloom and putting on their usually magnificent show, as a dramatic and astonishing reveal. In 2024 the gates will be opened during our work session on Tuesday 2 July. They will close again on Tuesday 29 October.
Entry is free but we do have a JustGiving Page to raise funds for new plants and equipment. There is a box of envelopes in the walled garden to be placed in the collection box in Darley Park Café.
The Annual Open Day starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. Volunteers are on hand to answer your questions and there are two free tours, lasting about an hour, at 11am and 2pm. Meet us by the cafe just before the start times. We have donation boxes for you to show your appreciation! In 2024 the Open Day is on Sunday 18 August. Details will be on our news page nearer the time.
2024 Private Tour Week is 12-16 August. Make contact through our Contacts Page.
We don’t retail plants. Hydrangea Derby hasn’t the resources to propagate plants so isn’t in a position to provide plants for sale, and because of plant breeder rights we are not able to offer cuttings. We would direct you to the RHS Plant Finder to locate suppliers.
Maintaining and developing the garden is done by volunteers. We add new cultivars and take out old ones. Volunteers prune and deadhead the plants. They weed and edge the beds and keep the paths tidy. In recent years volunteers have planted snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils and tulips to add colour to the garden in spring. The Parks Department cut the grass and keep the buildings and walls in good repair. If you want to Volunteer click on the link to find out more, or contact us through our Contacts Page.
