The RHS has announced that its latest garden, RHS Bridgewater, which was due to open in July 2020, will now be opening in 2021.
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In a statement the RHS confirmed that the opening will be put back to 12 May 2021 following the advice for the public to socially distance due to the coronavirus.
In order to keep staff on site safe, the garden has been operating at limited capacity, which has delayed the build.
Sue Biggs, director general of the RHS said: “While this is disappointing news for so many, we know that everyone will understand why we had to make this delay. As with every decision we make, the health and safety of our employees and contractors is paramount. ”
The new opening date will be the week ahead of RHS Chelsea.
The garden, which has been in the process for five years, was due to open to the public on 30 July.
Bridgewater, in Salford, Greater Manchester, is the first new garden for the RHS in nearly two decades. It is hoped it will bring the RHS’s world class horticulture to within an hour of 8.2 million people.
The 154 acre site was once the grounds of Worsley New Hall, and its transformation is one of the biggest of its kind in Europe.
Designer Tom Stuart-Smith is responsible for the overall planning, or ‘masterplan’ of the garden, which includes a walled garden the size of six football pitches.
Authors
Daisy Bowie-Sell is digital editor of Gardens Illustrated. She has previously worked as a journalist for publications including the Daily Telegraph, WhatsOnStage and Time Out London
