TV presenter Carol Klein has opened the Royal Horticultural Society’s newest garden in England, which is considered “the largest practical horticultural project in Europe”.
The official opening of RHS Bridgewater in Salford, the first in an urban area, had to be postponed for almost a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
BBC Gardeners’ World host Ms. Klein said: “This garden represents not only the spirit of RHS but also that of the Northwest, which is pioneering and looking to the future.
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“It also reflects the spirit of the region and its two cities, and shows what can be achieved when communities work together.”
The 150-acre site, formerly the Worsley New Hall property, is said to be a “beacon of inspiration, education and commitment to the garden” with more than a quarter of a million plants and an 11 acre walled garden that is considered the largest The public is -Accessible walled work garden in the UK.
There is also a pioneering program in which general practitioners refer patients to the site for therapeutic gardening.
Sue Biggs, RHS director general, said, “We believe that the opening of RHS Garden Bridgewater, our fifth garden, couldn’t be more punctual after the terrible time everyone has experienced last year.”
The garden, which took six years to build, with an investment of £ 35 million from RHS, £ 19 million from Salford City Council and support from the custodians of the former Worsley New Hall estate, The Peel Group, joins other RHS Wisley Gardens in Surrey, Rosemoor, on in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire.
It is expected to generate around £ 13.2m per year for the local economy by 2030 and has already created nearly 100 local jobs.