Manchester's summer garden party blossoms

Keep cool this summer at Manchester’s seven day al fresco party, as Dig the City returns from Friday 31 July to Thursday 6 August.

Sponsored by NCP, the UK's largest summer garden festival takes over the shopping streets with glorious gardens, daytime and evening events, shopping exclusives, pop-up bars and masses of free events.

28 stunning designs will be displayed throughout the festival, from both professional and amateur designers, as well as community groups and businesses.

The theme for this year is Innovate and Interact, and some of the highlights include a pop-up meadow on wheels from horticultural experts Kew Gardens, a mountain stream by Hulme Community Garden Centre, a garden which erupts from cracks in Manchester’s pavements, and a vertical growing experiment with bug houses and a mud kitchen from Incredible Edible.

The gardens and installations will be judged on Friday 31 July by celebrity gardener and BBC presenter Diarmuid Gavin and Manchester’s National Trust Gardener in Residence, Sean Harkin.

An information point will be located in St Ann’s Square, Manchester, open daily for programme info, directions and maps (open 10am – 6pm, Friday 31 July – Thursday 6 August).

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