Visit to Addenbrooke Garden

June 2026

I must start by saying Addenbrooke, situated on four acres in Botany, is not a rural butterfly garden; it is a rural garden with butterflies. I went there in February primarily to enjoy the garden on one of their summer open days and it really does feel like you are having a nosey around someone else's personal space, not something created with the paying public in mind.

It is mostly a formal garden based on European design principles and of course I was most attracted to the parts where plants were allowed to sprawl and spread and everything was a little more wild and natural. The structure of the garden meant that around every turn is a new vista - another perfectly curated view - and they use the falling levels of the garden to best advantage. It feels deliberate and seamless.

Pavilion by the lake

It was a cloudy and windy day, which meant things were cooler than they had been of late, but the garden still had active cicadas and butterflies. Indeed, one male clapping cicada landed on my hat and its clicks through the cloth sounded like rain on a tent roof. Entry allows you an hour and a half to explore at your own speed and so I took 15 minutes to undertake a survey as part of the Big Butterfly Count. (Three monarchs and two cabbage whites, if you were wondering).

During the survey and after, I saw butterflies on Mexican fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus, on lantana, in the pale pink petunias that were found all around the garden and on white buddleia Buddleja fallowiana 'Alba'. I found there was a small patch of young swan plants by the house, which had a number of caterpillars on them. There was even a female monarch laying eggs. It's clear that the wasps had not found them.

Monarch on whilte flowering buddleia

Blue butterfly in the signature pink petunia

Monarch caterpillars on young swan plants

I saw most monarchs along a walkway on the edge of the property where a grass path meandered through flower borders. There were many nectar plants, including bog sage and dahlias. One dahlia was so beautiful, I was completely obsessed by it. I have failed to grow dahlias successfully, but I would have another go for the creamy sunset colours of that one.

Stunning horse sculpture

This was a favourite butterfly spot

Bee on bee balm

I was obsessed with the colour of this dahlia

Dandelion sculpture

The lake, which had a community of dragonflies

The horse sculpture, which was a new addition to the property, was stunning and was perfect in the garden - a big sculpture in a big landscape. I took home a slightly smaller piece of art - a steel butterfly stake for my butterfly garden. It is a great souvenir from a special visit.