The Lancashire Life garden at the Chorley Flower Show 2022

There can’t be much that historic Astley Hall hasn’t seen over the years, but it witnessed a first during the 2022 Chorley Flower Show.

The lawn in front of the newly-refurbished hall was transformed by the first ever Lancashire Life show garden which was a stunning centrepiece for the three-day show.

The view of Astley Hall from the Lancashire Life garden (Image: Paul Mackenzie)

The 12x7m garden was created to celebrate the magazine’s 75th anniversary and it was praised by all the thousands of visitors we met over the weekend.

Designed by Greg Anderton, the garden depicted three distinct Lancashire landscapes – moorland, woodland and coastal, all linked by a gently babbling stream – with a stunning range of colourful plants and flowers creating real impact.

The garden was officially opened by Chorley MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle who said: ‘The Lancashire Life garden is amazing. It’s a celebration of the wonderful Lancashire countryside and Greg’s clever design has managed to reflect those landscapes in an area the size of a back garden.’

Garden designer Greg Anderton with Si Lindsay Hoyle who officially opened the Lancashire Life garden (Image: Paul Mackenzie)

And now the show has closed, the garden will be moved to a permanent home in the grounds of the hall by landscapers Crafted Landscapes of Heysham who built the garden.

Colourful planting in the coastal area of the Lancashire Life garden (Image: Paul Mackenzie)

For more pictures from the show, don't miss the September issue of Lancashire Life, on sale on August 26.

Thank you

We are immensely grateful to all the businesses who have supported the project to create the Lancashire Life garden.

Crafted Landscapes, Elliott Smith, landscaper

Leafy Lytham, Greg Anderton, designer and plant sponsor

C&C Supplies, Linda Roberts, sponsor of landscaping materials

South Planks, sponsor of timber

Clare Biggar, artist

Armstrongs Group, sponsor of stone

Chorley Council, garden sponsor

And the Lytham in Bloom volunteers for their help with planting

The garden attracted many green-fingered visitors and this couple who didn't just have green fingers (Image: Paul Mackenzie)