Passengers travelling through Manchester Piccadilly are set to benefit from a new garden project, known as the Station Sanctuary, which will bring colour and greenery to the station‘s entrance. From Monday 2nd March, commuters will see work underway on the approach to the North West’s busiest railway station.
The space has been designed to offer a moment of calm and relaxation, with 40 modular rainwater planters, pillars, and seats, which will be made by local community groups and volunteers. Following its launch, the garden will be used as a space to host community gardening sessions for local groups, volunteers, and schools, ensuring it remains an active part of the city for years to come.
What is the Station Sanctuary garden project at Manchester Piccadilly?
The Station Sanctuary project will see the grey, underused outdoor space just outside of Manchester Piccadilly station transformed into a vibrant, biodiverse garden to welcome people and wildlife. The garden will be open to the public in spring 2026, for commuters, visitors, and city residents to enjoy amid the bustle of the station.
The scheme has been created through a partnership between Network Rail, the National Trust, Sow the City, and Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH). It has also benefited from the support of Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), alongside funding from United Utilities.
The charity MASH offers support to women who are involved in sex work and have experienced homelessness. Through participation in the Station Sanctuary project, women have come together to co-design and co-create the garden. This initiative has inspired women to express their creativity and has provided an opportunity to learn about nature and urban conservation.
What to find at the new Manchester Piccadilly station garden
Herbs, flowers, grasses and drought-tolerant plants
Sow the City’s landscape designer has curated a planting scheme which uses drought-tolerant plants, that are tough enough to thrive in city conditions, while supporting local wildlife. In early spring, bright crocuses will bloom and offer food for bees as they wake up from winter.
As the seasons change, herbs like thyme, chives, and oregano will add colour, scent, and attract pollinators. Into autumn, flowers like Mexican fleabane and verbena will keep the garden buzzing with life. Grasses such as Mexican feather grass and quaking grass will bring movement and structure, while tough, drought-tolerant plants like cotton lavender help the garden cope with warm summers.
Hexagonal planters and information panels
The hexagonal planters and other features in the garden will be made by community groups, including women from MASH and Boiler House woodworking groups. The garden will have information panels that will encourage visitors to explore the city’s other accessible green and blue spaces, as well as information on urban ecology.
“This project marks a new creative and collaborative approach for Network Rail.”
Rebecca Foy, Network Rail’s regeneration and placemaking specialist, said: “Manchester Piccadilly is both the welcome and farewell to our city, and through Station Sanctuary we’re shaping it to better reflect Manchester’s character and creativity.
“This project marks a new creative and collaborative approach for Network Rail. Together, we’re transforming an underused space into a greener, more colourful and more welcoming place where our passengers, visitors and local communities can relax and enjoy.”
“This garden will reconnect people with nature in one of the busiest parts of the city.”
Jon Ross, the founder and chief executive at Sow the City said: “As a Manchester-based organisation, we are incredibly proud to be transforming Piccadilly Station into a vibrant, green oasis. This garden will reconnect people with nature in one of the busiest parts of the city, and show that even the most unexpected places can support biodiversity.”
“Alongside the plants and flowers, we hope to grow awareness around the importance of inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone in the community.”
Rachel Shore, project engagement coordinator at MASH, said: “The Station Sanctuary project engages women who are often marginalised, empowering them to connect together and collaborate creatively.
“Together, we feel proud to be using our skills to transform an underused site in the station area into a thriving, nature-rich space that embodies the vibrant spirit of our city. Alongside the plants and flowers, we hope to grow awareness around the importance of inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone in the community”.
A spokesperson for the women supported by MASH, said: “I feel that it’s important that we show we have skills and use them to make a safe place. From my homeless times around the station area, it’s a positive reflection that I can use my experiences for good.”
Details on how the public can get involved in tending and enjoying this unique urban oasis will be shared on the project partners’ websites as the opening date approaches.