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The Ridges Gardens (formerly Barbara Barlow's Cottage Garden)

Type:Garden

The Ridges, Weavers Brow, Cont. of Cowling Road, Limbrick, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 9EB

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 14 reviews14 reviews

Tel: 01257 279 981

Add The Ridges Gardens (formerly Barbara Barlow's Cottage Garden) to your Itinerary

The Ridges Gardens (formerly Barbara Barlow's Cottage Garden)

The story of Barbara’s garden starts in the 1970s when she used to help her mother with their garden centre in the back garden. The more she learned about plants the more her interest grew. By the time her children had grown and flown she was hooked.

Realising the potential of the garden, she began restoring and developing. Original apple trees lining the paths were pruned, but otherwise you wouldn’t recognise the back garden now. Dense cottage planting demonstrates Barbara’s eye for combination of colour, form, and foliage. Through an arch, a large formal gated lawn is fringed with bright foliage specimen trees cleverly positioned to shine against a dark copper beech, holly and rhododendrons.

This shelter protects such tender plants as windmill palm and Magnolia Grandiflora, and provides a lovely setting for a Victorian-style glasshouse used for entertaining.

In a natural style stream garden, damp-loving plants such as gunnera and rogersia grow down towards a pool, and a Paul’s Himalayan Musk rose runs rampant over trellis and trees. Recently an old buttressed wall has been uncovered to create a new, naturally planted quiet area, with scented plants and herbs to attract butterflies and bees. Barbara’s horticultural achievement is to be admired and enjoyed.

Bank Holiday Sundays & Mondays (excluding Easter): 11.00am - 5.00pm
Wednesdays & Thursdays through June & July: 11.00am - 5.00pm
When the spectacular fragrant rambling roses will be in full bloom.
Wednesday & Thursdays through August 11.00am - 5.00pm

Private group visits by appointment

PLEASE NOTE DUE TO COVID-19:
PAYMENT ON ARRIVAL AND CASH ONLY, NO CHANGE WILL BE GIVEN SO VISITORS MUST HAVE THE CORRECT ENTRANCE FEES.

LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.    

Book Tickets

Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
Admission£5.00 per ticket

Under 12s - free

Payment in cash only (no card machine)

Opening Times

Open for private visits in addition to the dates/times below for groups of 10 or more - please call to book (1 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024)
DayTimes
Early May Bank Holiday (30 Apr 2024 - 1 May 2024)
DayTimes
Spring Bank Holiday (28 May 2024 - 29 May 2024)
DayTimes
Wednesday & Thursday (7 June 2024 - 17 Aug 2024)
DayTimes
Wednesday - Thursday11:00 - 16:00
Saturday & Sunday (15 July 2024 - 16 July 2024)
DayTimes

Events

Monday, 1st January 2024 - Tuesday, 31st December 2024

Tuesday, 30th April 2024 - Wednesday, 1st May 2024

Tuesday, 28th May 2024 - Wednesday, 29th May 2024

Friday, 7th June 2024 - Saturday, 17th August 2024

Monday, 15th July 2024 - Tuesday, 16th July 2024

The Ridges Garden Open DaysThe Ridges, a 3.5 acre, sheltered, quintessentially English country garden, is located at the edge of the West Pennine Moors, close to Rivington and Anglezark reservoirs, known locally as the 'Lancashire Lake District'. The garden is comprised of large formal lawns, a walled orchard garden and…
more info

Awards

  • Sub-Regional AwardsPartner of Visit Lancashire Partner of Visit Lancashire 2018

Directions

Road Directions

Two miles south east of Chorley. Jct 27 M6 or jct 8 M61 approaching Chorley on A6, follow signs for town centre, then signs for Cowling & Rivington. From A6 south turn right at 1st roundabout, right at Morrisons Supermarket. Up Brooke Street, take Cowling Brow, approx 0.25m garden on right-hand side.

Facilities

Parking & Transport

  • Car Parking

Provider Preferences

  • In countryside

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

5 of 5 stars
    • Service
      5 of 5 stars
    • Value
      5 of 5 stars
    • Cleanliness
      5 of 5 stars
    • Location
      4.5 of 5 stars
    • Excellent
      12
    • Very Good
      2
    • Average
      0
    • Poor
      0
    • Terrible
      0

    Recent Reviews:

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      A double room with a comfortable double bed with white linen.The Ridges Garden Bed & Breakfast, ChorleyThe Ridges is handily placed for the M6 and M61 motorways near Chorley in Lancashire, overlooking the West Pennine Hills.  It’s also close to Rivington Country Park with its Saxon Barns and Chinese Gardens, locally known as the Lancashire Lake District due to the numerous large reservoirs and is…

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