As Bradford celebrates its status as UK City of Culture 2025, the city centre has undergone a major transformation — with Norfolk Gardens Park emerging as a flagship green space at its core. This 10,000 m² urban park was delivered by Gavin Jones Ltd on behalf of Balfour Beatty plc, in collaboration with Bradford Council’s in-house landscape architects.
Johnsons Nurseries Ltd was proud to support this high-profile scheme by supplying over 23,000 plants, including trees, shrubs, and perennials. Working alongside long-term partner Gavin Jones Ltd, Johnsons played a key role in creating a rich, diverse, and sustainable landscape that will serve the city for years to come.
The project demanded an extensive and diverse plant supply capable of meeting stringent aesthetic, ecological, and logistical requirements:
Deliver high-impact planting with strong seasonal interest
Support urban biodiversity and pollinators
Ensure plant resilience in a high-traffic public space
Align deliveries with a fast-paced construction schedule for City of Culture 2025
Located just 42 miles from Bradford, Johnsons was uniquely positioned to offer both quality and logistical agility, while coordinating closely with long-time customer Gavin Jones Ltd, the landscape contractor on site.
To support the complex and ambitious planting plan, Johnsons supplied a rich and varied plant mix tailored to meet the scheme’s ecological and design intent. Key elements included:
Trees (198 total)
Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ (10)
Betula ‘Fascination’ (20)
Acer campestre ‘Elegant’ (13)
Hedging
165 Taxus baccata elements for formal structure
Perennials and Shrubs
700 Euphorbia robbiae
700 Thymus vulgaris
600 Skimmia ‘Kew Green’
700 Escallonia
Additionally, the project featured 3,100 m² of wildflower turf to attract pollinators and 2,000 m² of traditional turf, providing a vibrant and usable green space for both events and everyday recreation.
Norfolk Gardens Park now stands as a centrepiece of Bradford’s cultural celebrations — a space that blends urban renewal with ecological sensitivity. The planting scheme has delivered not just immediate visual impact, but also a legacy of seasonal interest, habitat creation, and long-term value for the city’s communities.
“We’re incredibly proud to have supplied the plants for such a high-profile and meaningful project on our doorstep. Norfolk Gardens is more than just a park — it’s a symbol of Bradford’s cultural pride and environmental ambition. Being part of its creation during this historic year is a real honour.”
— Graham Richardson, Group Managing Director, Johnsons Nurseries Ltd
