Hidden away between a number of gorgeous green spaces you’ll find Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens in all of its unsuspecting yet magical glory – tucked South of Manchester in Didsbury. An unexpected oasis of sheer beauty just a stone’s throw away from the lively neighbourhood, Fletcher Moss just so happens to be one of the most Instagrammable spots in the region thanks to its array of colourful plants and trees.
Donated to the people of Manchester in 1919 by local philanthropist and Alderman Fletcher Moss, the stunning park continues to operate as a botanical garden, boasting huge trees, arrangements of bright and beautiful flowers and walk-through paths that allow Mancs to explore every corner.
The park is cleverly laid out to protect the stunning rock gardens from the elements, with the main garden sitting on a South-facing slope for shelter. But it’s not just the rock garden that’s there to be discovered, with a number of beautiful features dotted around to uncover, including mini waterfalls, cherry blossom, huge palm trees and giant rhubarb floating in a pond.
Turn any corner, and you’ll be greeted with a brand new picturesque setting, with some backdrops looking like a whole other country – let alone county. Take a stroll under an arch decorated with drooping purple flowers, snap a shot of the beautiful cherry blossom trees, or walk through a framed path of tall looming trees by the River Mersey.
Along with the well-maintained flowers and trees, Fletcher Moss is home to an array of wildlife and wildflowers, with birds and small mammals enticed into the park with a bird feeding area and even a ‘Bug Hotel’.
Free to enter, residents are able to talk a stress-free walk around the park and botanical gardens, with the River Mersey nearby, too. It’s a calming affair with plenty to see, and a seriously welcome change from our other popular “garden” at Piccadilly.
As beautiful as the park is already, there’s still more to come – thanks to a recently secured grant from the government’s ‘Pocket Parks’ initiative, which will allow for a “Wellbeeing Garden” – where part of an old tennis court on the grounds will be transformed into a brand new garden, with the aim of being a therapeutic space for Mancs to escape to. The space will be flowers galore, giving bees and other insects a new spot to visit, too.
Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens is open daily and is completely free to visit.