As Bradford proudly celebrates its year as UK City of Culture 2025, the city Centre has been reshaped by a series of ambitious public realm improvements, and at the heart of these is the newly completed Norfolk Gardens Park.
Delivered on behalf of Balfour Beatty plc, in collaboration with Bradford Council’s in-house landscape architects, this landmark 10,000 m² green space is a key component of the city’s wider transformation. With events, exhibitions, and cultural programming unfolding across the district throughout 2025. Norfolk Gardens provides a much-needed green retreat for residents and visitors, as well as a flexible setting for community celebrations.
Leading the soft landscaping delivery was Gavin Jones Ltd, whose team brought the landscape vision to life through a full programme of horticultural works. This included soil preparation and profiling, turfing, meadow creation, planting beds and installation of new trees across the site. Wildflower turf was laid to encourage pollinators and soften the park's edges, while carefully arranged planting beds provide seasonal colour and texture.
Working in close coordination with stakeholders on-site, Gavin Jones delivered high-quality results to a fast-paced programme. Infrastructure elements were added in tandem to ensure the park is both visually appealing and practical for long-term public use and maintenance. The scheme was designed to balance visual impact, biodiversity, and functionality throughout the year.
“It’s been a privilege for our teams to play a key role in delivering such a transformative green space in the heart of Bradford. Norfolk Gardens Park is not only visually striking, but also a biodiverse and inclusive environment that supports the city’s cultural celebrations and community life."
"We're proud to have worked alongside Balfour Beatty and Bradford Council to realise this ambitious vision,” said Richard Rhodes, Contract Manager at Gavin Jones Ltd.
Supporting this transformation was Johnsons Nurseries Ltd, based just 42 miles from Bradford. The North Yorkshire grower supplied over 23,000 plants for the scheme. This extensive palette included carefully selected perennials, shrubs, and grasses chosen for their colour, texture, and resilience, creating seasonal variation and supporting urban biodiversity. The planting also included 198 new trees, 3,100 m² of wildflower turf, and 2,000 m² of traditional turf, collectively creating a vibrant and inviting environment that complements Bradford’s cultural momentum.
Johnsons Nurseries Ltd supplied a diverse mix of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, hedging, and trees to meet the project’s design and ecological goals. This included 165 formal Taxus baccata hedging elements, over 700 Euphorbia robbiae, 700 Thymus vulgaris, 600 Skimmia ‘Kew Green’, and 700 Escallonia. Statement trees included 10 Prunus ‘Amanogawa’, 20 Betula ‘Fascination’, and 13 Acer campestre ‘Elegant’.
Graham Richardson, Group Managing Director at Johnsons Nurseries Ltd, added: “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 for the city is a real honour for our team. It was great working with long-standing customer Gavin Jones Ltd once again.”
Norfolk Gardens Park is already becoming a key feature of Bradford’s cultural programme, hosting gatherings, performances, and everyday visitors throughout the summer. Designed not just for this year, but for generations to come, the park will remain a lasting legacy of 2025 and a symbol of the city’s confidence, creativity, and renewal.
