garden

Manchester’s new sky garden

/ mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

Take a railway viaduct that’s stood dormant for decades and turn it into a brand new green space. Does that sound like a good idea?

Well it’s happened here in Manchester, right in the heart of my neighbourhood of Castlefield. This elevated platform has been turned into a space for all to enjoy. 

Take a look at the images and I’ll tell you more below. Please share your thoughts!

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Castlefield Viaduct was built in 1892 to carry rail traffic to and from the mighty industrial city of Manchester and was eventually closed in 1969. Fast forward to 2022 and this lofty structure has been given a new lease of life with a smooth pavement to carry many pairs of feet.

Elegant gardens featuring a wealth of plants line the walkway – even silver birch trees nestle among the weathered might of the viaduct.

It’s a pleasure to explore the gardens with the expert input of National Trust guides, an organisation more associated with country estates than the heart of the city.

But as a local who’s been observing and photographing the local skyline for six years, I was really struck by the fresh perspective the viaduct provides. New high rise developments like Deansgate Square wrestle with the framework of the structure, and you really sense how old and new Manchester sit together.

The ‘sky garden’ is being piloted for a year and visitors are being asked which direction this slice of nature in the city should take in the future. For starters, there’s another stretch that’s yet to be reclaimed – the possibilities are many!

Visits to the Castlefield Viaduct can be pre-booked here.

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A magnificent northern garden

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A warm summer’s day is the perfect time to visit the RHS Bridgewater Garden in Salford, just a 30-minute bus ride from central Manchester. CONTINUES BELOW

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The garden, which opened last year, is on the site of stately pile Worsley New Hall.

Some of the old architecture remains, while there’s a sleek new building which houses visitor amenities.

Bridgewater’s focal point is a large walled garden which was bursting with plants and colourful blooms on my visit. It looks like it’s been established for decades, not just a couple of years.

Woodland and meadow trails are also part of the site, full of grasses and wild foxgloves as I wandered around the site.

RHS Bridgewater is already a huge success, with many visitors which I hadn’t expected. It was a challenge to take photographs giving the impression I had the place to myself!

Have you been to Bridgewater or another RHS garden? Share your thoughts below.

A pair of seats in the walled garden at RHS Bridgewater

There are plenty of spots to rest and enjoy the gardens

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Summer house

/ mikeosbornphoto / 9 Comments

This is a very pleasant obsession of the Swedish nation. A great love is to have a second home in the countryside or by the coast – a rustic escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life in the city. Many Swedes enjoy a long holiday during the summer months, and the sommurstuga is a base for walks in the woods to pick berries, taking bicycle rides and enjoying an evening barbecue. It’s called getting away from it all.

The summer house I visited is a solid, rugged wooden home with an orchard and meadow surrounded by tall handsome trees. A flagpole proudly flies the nation’s light blue and yellow flag. Redcurrants and wild strawberries grow in the garden, which is a peaceful idyll for enjoying the short Swedish summer.

Thank you to Bodil and Anja for their warm welcome and allowing me to prowl around with my camera.

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2014 moments #2

/ mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

I would like to share my 10 most memorable photographs of the year over the coming days with you. These are shots that I am particularly proud of, while each evokes a sense of place and meaning from 2014.

Daisy on black

DAISY ON BLACK

This photograph ticks many boxes. I finally invested in a macro lens in 2014, and discovered the joys of getting close small subjects, with nature and flora at the top of the list. I placed this simple flower on a black background which made its purity and vibrant colour stand out, and a Pop Art-style spin-off took shape. And it was taken in my mother’s peaceful, insular Essex garden during the summer warmth.

Gallery entrance

Garden abstraction

/ mikeosbornphoto / 9 Comments

Lounger lights

This is a story of lazing in a neat, suburban garden. It’s bounded on all sides by fences and is carefully sculpted. The sun beats down and you screw up your eyes to combat the glare.

You see a series of abstract moments, unusual visions from the corners of your eyes. Little corners that invade your being from the inactivity of the day. And the sunlight plays on the conventional parameters of this garden to conjure up dreams of a languid summer day in this garden…

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 Gallery entrance