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The Orchard Gardens

Developing a traditional, sustainable and richly biodiverse landscape in the historical footprint of Worsley New Hall's former orchard

Interesting facts...

  • Planting for the future The Orchard Gardens will continue to evolve as fruit trees mature and further planting is added
  • Home for pollinators A mixed-species hay and wildflower meadow and Bee & Butterfly Garden support valuable pollinators
  • Biodiversity Diverse planting and an ‘agroforestry’ belt will increase ecological diversity and offer shelter for wildlife
The Orchard Gardens being built

Restoring a traditional orchard

From the mid-19th to the mid-20th centuries an orchard existed here, but its content is long gone. The new orchard, designed by Curator Marcus Chilton-Jones, replaces a lost and extremely valuable habitat.

The design reinterprets the orchard’s history to provide echoes of continuity and will create beauty and inspiration for the future as the fruit trees mature, meadow develops and further planting is added in the coming years.

Orchards are hotspots for biodiversity in the countryside, supporting a wide range of wildlife and containing priority habitats and species identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, as well as an array of nationally rare and scarce species.

“One of the most important elements of RHS Garden Bridgewater is the Orchard Gardens where endangered varieties, especially those local to the North West, will be propagated and protected for future generations. It’s a vital project for the local community, so good for body, soul and spirit.”

Carol Klein, RHS Ambassador
Young apple trees ready for planting

Preserving local fruit heritage

The collection of plants within the orchard initially incorporates a diverse array of fruit trees including: 37 cultivars of apple specific to the northwest of England, 15 cultivars of pear, 10 cultivars of plum, three cultivars each of mulberry and damson, 15 cultivars of cherry, eight cultivars of crab apple and five of quince.

Although still saplings, these young trees are being grown on large rootstocks to encourage greater size, longevity and landscape impact. Importantly, the orchard has not been designed to optimise fruiting and cropping output but to maximise its future potential for wildlife.
Planted as saplings, the fruit trees will grow as further planting is added

Boosting biodiversity

The orchard fringe comprises a shelter belt of ‘agroforestry’ planting, which includes hawthorn, hazelnut, elder, walnut, sweet chestnut, hickory, barberry, bladdernut, flowering quince and Cornelian cherry. Piles of deadwood provide habitats for wildlife and fungi, while future planting will introduce shrub layers, herbaceous plants and bulbs to promote biodiversity.

The ground is covered with a mixed-species grass meadow peppered with wildflowers and cut annually for a hay crop. This meadow is interwoven with a series of turf paths to encourage exploration. Expansive swathes of bulbs will be added in the years ahead.

“The Orchard Gardens will have a more naturalistic feel than the adjoining gardens at Bridgewater, acting as a space to relax and unwind.”

Marcus Chilton-Jones, Curator, RHS Garden Bridgewater
Pollinator friendly planting in the Bee and Butterfly Garden

Bee and Butterfly Garden

Located at the front of Garden Cottage, the Bee and Butterfly Garden is designed to attract pollinators. Pollinators are vital in allowing plants to fruit, set seed and breed, and this in turn provides food and habitat for a range of other creatures. The health of our natural ecosystems is fundamentally linked to the health of our bees and other pollinators.

The Bee and Butterfly Garden is ideally situated in a sheltered, sunny and warm location. Designed by RHS Horticulturist Carolyn Collins, it provides year-round flora to attract pollinating insects. More than 100 taxa of diverse plants, specifically selected from the RHS Plants for Pollinators scheme, are arranged in drifts and provide rich pickings for wild bees, moths, butterflies and Bridgewater’s own bee colony.
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) on purple buddleja

Bridgewater’s bees

In 2020, Garden Cottage was undergoing renovation when a colony of 50,000 honey bees and 60kg of honey and comb were discovered under the floorboards. Temporarily rehomed, the bees now reside in an apiary in the northwestern corner of the orchard. The orchard also features a chicken run.

Can you help to create this garden?

Your gift could help us to buy fruit trees, climber shrubs, edible plants, hedges, trellis and chicken feed for this unique and important garden. Help future generations explore the crucial connection between plants, food and pollinators. 

Donate now

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.