Taking advantage of a sunny blue sky morning in mid October I set off just after 10am for a second visit to Bridgewater Garden. Now this place is only ten miles from home but as I approached my turn-off from the motorway the sun disappeared and the whole area became shrouded in a thick mist. It wasn’t looking good for my garden visit but as I’d already booked and paid online going back home wasn’t an option so I decided to have a wander round the gift shop and hope that the mist would soon clear and let the sun come through.
Eventually the sun started to cut through the mist and it lifted enough for me to venture out so I headed across Victoria Meadow, an area I hadn’t been to on my previous visit, and by the time I’d got to the far end the mist had almost gone. The path across the meadow took me into the woodland at the unrestored eastern end of Ellesmere Lake and among the trees I came across the remains of a small folly on what would once have been an island in the lake.
The path took me round the far side of the lake and along past what had once been a landscaped formal terraced garden in the heyday of Worsley New Hall, now looking rather unkempt and overgrown but awaiting development by the RHS. Past the Chinese Garden the main path led me to the Old Frameyard with its large new glasshouse and beds of oddly shaped hydrangeas and from there I made my way to what has now become my favourite part of the whole place, the Paradise Garden.
The walled garden itself isn’t a place to follow any sort of planned route as there are so many paths leading off other paths and so many different sections to see so I just wandered leisurely around from one area to another, even doubling back on myself a couple of times, until I decided I’d seen just about everything there was to see. As I made my way back to the Welcome Building my last shot was the clear view over Moon Bridge Water, looking vastly different to my very misty first shot of earlier on.
Life In The Mouse House 
That place is looking good for the short time it has been open, a great investment in the North for the future – levelling up in action.
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When I went there for the first time in August the garden looked so well established I was surprised that it’s only been open for such a short time. There are still a few outlying areas needing major development including the eastern end of the lake but the walled garden and its immediate areas are really lovely.
If you’re interested there was a BBC2 programme about it a few weeks ago – The Great Northern Garden Build – showing the new garden’s creation from start to opening. It must have been a (shortened) repeat as it’s dated last year but it’s on BBCiPlayer in four episodes – worth a watch if you haven’t already seen it.
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Thanks for that will have a look.
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These are really good photos and I’ve made a note in my diary to visit here next spring. Despite it being autumn there looked to be quite a lot of colour!
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I fully intend making a late spring visit myself and probably a July one too for the summer colours. The walled garden has so many areas that just when you think you’ve seen everything you find something else and the photo opportunites are endless. One tip though if you do go – the cafe isn’t cheap. £4 for a small cup cake and £3 for a child-sized slice of sausage roll! (I didn’t get anything) and the queue can be long so you might like to take a picnic and your own drink(s) – there are plenty of places to sit and eat. Also the shop is expensive – a small soft toy pig measuring barely 5ins was £22! Other than that the garden is well worth a visit even for someone like me who isn’t really into gardening.
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Lovely! Paradise indeed.
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The Paradise Garden is really lovely especially around the lily pool, though it beats me how they keep the water so beautifully clear.
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What a beautiful place, somewhere for all seasons I think. X
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I don’t know how nice the place will be in the winter months but it looked really lovely when I went in August and last month. It will be interesting to see what it’s like in the springtime.
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Hi, Eunice! That certainly looks like a lovely place to wander. I’m glad the sun broke through the mist for you. You took some wonderful reflection shots. Cheers!
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The reflection shots were really just general views so the reflections themselves were a bonus. I have no interest in gardening but this lovely place is great for photography 🙂
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Beautiful place. I love so much visiting English garden.
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It’s a lovely place and if you ever get back down to this area, especially in the summer months, it’s well worth a visit.
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It turned out to be a decent day for you Eunice, so money not wasted!
I saw the sign for the garden driving down the M60 the other day. Reminded me, after seeing your post, that I must book a visit in the Spring
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I’m looking forward to going back in the springtime myself. I can’t understand why you have to book a visit though – during the initial Covid times then yes, but now you can go any time you like on the day you’ve booked and stay as long as you want so pre-booking doesn’t make sense now.
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