Darwin Nurseries and Farm Shop in Teversham

If you live near Cambridge and haven't yet been to Darwin Nurseries & Farm Shop, it's worth knowing what it is before you go. It's a horticulture project and farm shop on a 7.5-acre site in Teversham, run by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT). It has been serving the community for more than 25 years. The site also runs therapeutic day care and work experience for adults with learning disabilities and mental health challenges, helping them build skills and independence and take an active part in the local community. All proceeds from plant and food sales go towards supporting these co-workers.

The site has a lot to look at. There is a greenhouse with seasonal plants, hanging baskets and vegetable plants, plus two large polytunnels. Outside you'll find a wildlife meadow, an orchard, permaculture beds and a young woodland with a small hobbit house for children. There is a wooded picnic area with children's activities and a drinks area serving cakes. The farm shop and cafe are open seven days a week and sell produce from local producers, gardening supplies, pet care items and other locally made or sourced goods. The farm, the greenhouses and the welcome area are free to visit. The site has also had animals, including sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, rabbits and chickens, but the animal areas were temporarily closed in October 2025, so it's worth phoning ahead to check. The site grew in 2014, when the Woodland Trust donated Bee Orchid Wood, which joined High Ditch Wood and Darwin Orchid.

On Google Maps the place has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 102 reviews. I don't have the text of those reviews, so I can't pass on what visitors said in their own words, but the rating is high. The shop does not list specific opening hours in the information I have, so for the current times check the CPFT website or call before you set off.

Getting there is fairly easy. The address is 5 Quy Water, Newmarket Road, Teversham, Cambs, CB1 9AT, on Newmarket Road between the Airport Way roundabout and Junction 35 of the A14. There is free off-road parking, and the site is wheelchair accessible. If you're using public transport, buses 11 and 12 run from the city centre and stop about 200 yards past the entrance, at the High Ditch Road stop before the Quy roundabout. Cyclists can reach it on the Sustrans route from Cambridge to Bottisham, which is national cycle route 51. You can call 01223 293911, email Darwin.Nurseries@cpft.nhs.uk or visit www.cpft.nhs.uk/darwinnurseries.

There is one piece of news to be aware of. In June 2026, staff were told that CPFT would not extend its contract beyond April 2028, as it needs to prioritise its limited resources for core NHS services. Robin Newell, from Darwin Nurseries and Farm Shop, said this had caused great upset among staff. Cambridgeshire County Council has confirmed that services will continue as normal until the end of the contract in 2028.