Client: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Locations: Gardens at Wisley, Bridgewater & Harlow Carr
Projects completed: 2014 – 2024
CAE has worked in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to help improve accessibility in some of its major gardens, to allow them to be enjoyed by everyone.
Across a 10-year period, CAE’s Senior Access Advisor, Teresa Rumble, and CAE associate, Keith Garner, provided advice on projects at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, RHS Garden Bridgewater in Greater Manchester, and RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, Yorkshire.
These gardens are important places used for scientific research, innovation, and education purposes. They are also spaces where people connect with nature, learn about plants and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.
The projects underpin the RHS’s objective to create inclusive environments while balancing accessibility with heritage and environmental sensitivity.
An ariel shot of the gardens at Wisley
Wisley: improving access
At Wisley, CAE provided detailed design consultancy across RIBA stages for the:
- Welcome building, which opened in 2019 and has a 100-seater café and outdoor seating. CAE’s input ensured accessible facilities, level access throughout, and space to manoeuvre.
- Hilltop: Home of Gardening Science building and surrounding gardens, which opened in 2021 and has exhibition space, library, café and world food courts. CAE supported in the creation of accessible design in all areas at Hilltop to make it a truly landmark facility for everyone.
- Old Laboratory, which opened in 2023 and is housed in an original building now repurposed as an introductory exhibition telling the story of RHS Wisley. CAE’s involvement from the outset ensured an accessible building renovation and exhibition design.
CAE also conducted a full access audit of all Wisley’s external areas and buildings, in 2014, including visitor walking routes, car parking and internal facilities, and helped to develop a plan of action with Wisley for improving accessibility across its gardens.
Bridgewater: shaping its design
Bridgewater was the RHS’s first new garden since it acquired Harlow Carr in 2001. It opened in 2021 and was built on the site of the historic Worsley New Hall estate.
At Bridgewater, CAE:
- delivered access advice on the initial planning stages of Bridgewater and its construction.
- provided advice on accessible landscape gradients, sensory planting schemes, inclusive signage, and equitable building access to heritage structures within Bridgewater.
Work continued after Bridgewater opened as more of its on-site heritage buildings were brought into use as cafés and toilet facilities to support visitor demands.
CAE associate Keith Garner at RHS Wisley
RHS Harlow Carr: creating new spaces
In 2022, CAE was appointed to work on the redevelopment of a derelict heritage building and surrounding landscape at Harlow Carr.
Harlow Carr had acquired the Grade II Listed 19th-century building, formerly a hotel, for re-use as a new visitor café.
At Harlow Carr, CAE worked collaboratively with the project’s architects and landscape teams to ensure that accessibility was built into the project’s strategy from the earliest design phases. We:
- provided access and inclusive design reviews of the existing site and its new landscaped areas, based on building regulations, and BS 8300 and inclusive design best practice.
- implemented the integration of step-free access, suitable circulation routes, and adjustments to landscape levels that didn’t compromise the historic fabric of the building.
Working collaboratively
John Pye, Head of Estates North at the RHS, said: “CAE has provided the RHS with practical and pragmatic advice on accessible design and site constraints across a range of landscapes and buildings within our gardens.
“For example, at Harlow Carr’s new café, CAE worked collaboratively with the design team to integrate accessible features into the scheme whilst respecting the listed fabric and surrounding landscape.”
Thanks to CAE’s work, Wisley, Bridgewater and Harlow Carr are now more inclusive, accessible spaces that welcome and involve everyone.
Find out more about our access audits and the consultancy services we offer.