Tucked away off Marsland Road in Sale is one of Greater Manchester’s horticultural hidden gems. Walkden Gardens occupies a small patch of land, yet it manages to pack a lot in with several ‘rooms’ waiting to be explored.
Visitors can take a stroll through the magnificent wisteria arch, which is over 70ft long, and drowns out any traffic noise from the surrounding area. A wander around reveals a fuchsia garden, a mini-arboretum and a conifer garden, all containing different plants and creating the feeling of being in a much larger space.
Owned by Trafford Council, who maintain the park alongside the Friends Group, made up of volunteers, Walkden Gardens is named after Harry Walkden, who owned a plant nursery at the current site. The gardens themselves were inspired by the well-known 20th century garden at Hidcote Manor in Gloucester.
