As part of the National Trust’s springtime celebration of blossom, Castlefield Viaduct has brought back their Bloomtown map featuring the best places to see blossom across Greater Manchester.
This year there are new spots in Salford and Trafford as well as trails on the digital map that will lead blossom seekers around several of the places. Paper maps, printed on recycled paper and designed by illustrator Bek Cruddace, are available from local parks, Central Library, NOMA, Castlefield Viaduct and other cultural centres across the city.
Through a collaboration with TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester), links to the Bloomtown map will also appear on posters at tram stops throughout the Metrolink network. For two weeks, from Monday 8 April, the St Peter’s Square stop will become a blossom hotspot right next to the Paulownias trees (Paulownia tormentosa is the full botanical name) whose distinctive flowers have become much loved by Manchester’s residents and there will be a blossom tram roaming the network.
Kate Picker, Visitor Operations and Experience Manager at Castlefield Viaduct, said: “Blossom is such a sign that spring has returned to Greater Manchester and we’re delighted to bring back the Bloomtown blossom map for its second year. It’s even bigger and better than 2023 with more hotspots stretching out of the city and into Salford and Trafford. There are also trails included in the digital version so people can find even more local blossom in their local area and get closer to nature, whether it’s walking to work or a full family day out. Part of the National Trust’s mission is to encourage the public to notice the nature around them including in urban areas and this map is a great way to find it right here on their doorstep.”
map can be accessed here: Blossom and Bloomtown in Greater Manchester | National Trust
The National Trust’s national campaign celebrating blossom includes working with Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, and his band LYR with a new book of blossom-inspired poetry and EP called Blossomise. There’s also a series of concerts and Simon Armitage poetry readings around the country. One of the poetry readings will take place at Castlefield Viaduct on Friday 26 April with an audience exclusively made up of community groups from across Greater Manchester. Simon will be joined on stage by performers from the Young Identity writing collective, which primarily works with 13-25 year olds.
Taking inspiration from the poetry Simon Armitage has written for Blossomise, NOMA have developed a website that helps people compose haikus. Originally developed in Japan, also famous for its springtime celebrations of blossom, a haiku is a poem made up of three lines with five syllables in the first, seven in the second and five again in the third and they are traditionally written about nature. With NOMA’s website, the public can submit their poem for the chance for it to be displayed on a large board in Sadler’s Yard for a day. There will be a new haiku on display everyday throughout April, with the previous ones printed on posters and put in the windows of New Century House. The haikus will also feature on social media from both NOMA and Castlefield Viaduct.
Saturday 13 April local choirs from across Greater Manchester will be performing at Blossom hotspots. People will be invited to watch the performances, get closer to nature and take part in activities such as making origami flowers. Performances will include Sacred Harp at Manchester Art Gallery, Sale Youth Choir at Waterside Arts and WI Socialites at The Whitworth – a full list will be on the Castlefield Viaduct Blossom and Bloomtown page.
There will be a Blossoms and Books guided walk and talk on Friday 19 April with one of the viaduct volunteers and local history expert, Anne Beswick. The tour will take in city centre blossom hotspots from the Bloomtown map and visit Central Library and Portico Library to explore their collections of botanical prints and nature related books.
Tickets are £5 and will be available on the Castlefield Viaduct website soon.
Another event as part of the local Blossom/Bloomtown festival will be a performance by Bionic and the Wires. Bionic and the Wires are a Manchester-based collective that creates electronic music with plants. Their compositions combine botanical rhythms with atmospheric textures and soundscapes created by synthesizers. The music explores the interplay between plants and music and encourages new ways of thinking about the natural world. They will play their unique form of live music at Castlefield Viaduct on 20 April.
Tickets cost £10 and are available from the Castlefield Viaduct website here.
