Bridge Farm to be brought to life at new RHS show to celebrate The Archers’ 75th anniversary

by

To mark its 75th anniversary, the radio drama The Archers is working with the Royal Horticultural Society and designer Jo Thompson to recreate Bridge Farm – a key setting in the show for many years.

The farm switched to fully organic practices in 1984 and has consistently found new ways to improve since then, including starting its own organic dairy. The garden created for the RHS Badminton Flower Show to celebrate The Archers’ 75th anniversary will showcase this dedication to organic farming, aiming to be an innovative, productive, sustainable, and welcoming space for families – reflecting a hopeful outlook.

The garden’s design takes inspiration from recent events in the history of Bridge Farm, specifically last year’s sewage spill which caused major problems for the Archers and was vividly portrayed on the radio program. The garden is meant to represent a cheerful front yard, carefully restored after the damage caused by the spill.

Viewers will see the garden’s restoration featured on the show all year long, including updates on the new plants at Bridge Farm. Some of these plants will even be displayed at the RHS Badminton event.

Jeremy Howe, the editor of The Archers, explained that the show has mirrored life in the British countryside for 75 years. He said the garden at the RHS show will be a fantastic chance for fans to experience Bridge Farm in a completely new way, and they are very excited about it.

Thompson, a longtime fan of The Archers, said creating a garden at Bridge Farm to celebrate the show’s 75th anniversary has been a real pleasure. Because the world of The Archers is so well-known and evokes personal images of Bridge Farm for many listeners, the project was both exciting and challenging. He’s eager to see the garden fully realized, complete with small details that fans will recognize.

The 12 by 18 meter feature garden will showcase key elements of Bridge Farm, including the visitor entrance with a noticeboard decorated with bunting and flowerpots. Visitors will also see an orchard with fruit trees planted in a wildflower meadow, a cheese-making demonstration area, and a potting bench displaying branded vegetable boxes. A wildlife pond will complete the garden’s features.

Alan Titchmarsh, speaking at the opening of the RHS Badminton Flower Show via video link, hinted that goats would feature in the display, referencing the growing goat population on his farm.

Want to see this content?

This YouTube video isn’t available while you’re logged into Contentpass. Please sign out of Contentpass to watch it.

She also shared her excitement about showcasing the garden at the new RHS Badminton Flower Show, explaining that the working landscape setting feels like the perfect fit. She emphasized that the garden is designed for visitors to simply enjoy, rather than being judged.

It’s still unknown if any of the actors from The Archers will attend the garden party, but we’re hoping to sample some Borsetshire Blue cheese and maybe even see Eddie Grundy and his ferrets making an appearance.

The RHS Badminton Flower Show will be held from July 8th to 12th. It’s a new event in the RHS touring shows program—along with the RHS Sandringham Flower Show planned for 2026—and the first RHS Flower Show to be hosted at the stunning Badminton Estate in the South Gloucestershire countryside. You can find tickets and more information at rhs.org.uk.

Authors

David Crawford

Read More

2026-01-19 21:34