Enjoyable visit to RHS Bridgewater
- Hopwood Radio
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
On (Tuesday 22nd July 2025)I visited RHS Bridgewater Gardens with friends, and it was an enjoyable experience with plenty to see.
RHS Garden Bridgewater is located on the site of the estate of Worsley New Hall in Salford. The Hall was demolished in the 1940s, but in its heyday was a notable residence featuring extensive formal landscaped gardens.
Built for Francis Egerton, the 1st Earl of Ellesmere, between 1840 and 1845, this grand Gothic-style mansion was designed by the architect Edward Blore. His speciality was Tudor and Elizabethan-style architecture, and he had a good reputation for completing projects on time and to budget. This particular project cost just under £100,000 to build, the equivalent of around £6.7 million today.
Just as grand as the house, the magnificent gardens were landscaped over a 50-year period. Landscape designer William Andrews Nesfield, one of the most sought-after members of his profession at the time, was involved in the project from 1846. In the ensuing years, the sloping grounds to the south of the Hall were transformed into a formal terraced garden, accessed by a series of steps and gravel paths, complete with formal fountains.
Immediately to the south of the terraces, an existing ornamental lake was enlarged in 1875 to contain a grotto on an island reached by a footbridge.
Like many fine gardens of its era, it had a croquet lawn and a tennis court. An area of woodland towards the west of the Hall separated the formal gardens from the gardener’s cottage (now Garden Cottage) and the 11-acre walled kitchen gardens. From these kitchen gardens, staff sent out ‘flowers and evergreens’ at Christmas and Easter to local churches, Sunday schools and workhouses.
During our visit, we participated in the Free Guided Tour led by Gordon, a very knowledgeable gentleman. He skilfully combined history and information with well-crafted jokes, making the tour both enjoyable and informative about the history of RHS Bridgewater. Gordon is a great asset to the RHS team and is local to the area.
He guided us through the walled garden, which features a diverse array of plant species arranged according to the four elements: Air, Earth, Water, and Fire. This section of the gardens is a design masterpiece, offering a peaceful walk surrounded by magnificent aromas and a vibrant display of colours.
Walking through the Kitchen Garden and observing its well-designed and tidy appearance was delightful. Gordon noted that the café on-site uses the kitchen garden for its produce, humorously commenting on the "added pesticides" in the cakes. He explained that they used soil from four areas of the garden to replenish the kitchen garden soil and joked that if you find a cabbage in the parking lot, not to worry. He skilfully combined humour and knowledge, making the tour and experience more enjoyable and entertaining.
We visited the Community Wellbeing Garden, which was absolutely breath-taking. It's wonderful to see such a space where people can relax and support their mental health. It's a place where you can participate in gardening or release stress by screaming as loudly as you want. This garden is truly an asset to RHS Bridgewater.
After the tour ended, we went to the Stables Café for drinks and a pizza, which was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend a visit. We stayed for a chat before resuming our walk around the gardens. Unfortunately, there was too much to see, so we couldn't explore everything RHS Bridgewater had to offer.
We are planning another trip soon to explore the areas we haven't yet visited. There's such a diverse range of wonderful colors, and everything is designed in a uniquely cohesive way. Each plant species features a plaque with helpful information, truly inspiring ideas for incorporating these designs into your own gardens.
Here are several photos captured on the day we visited.
Here are photos taken by my friends.
The RHS Bridgewater gardens transform throughout the year, so be sure to plan your visit. You'll have a delightful day and can join a free guided tour to learn more about the gardens' history.
You can visit the RHS Website which has a detailed history along with photographs
