Confidential becomes worried about the state of the new Cathedral Gardens lawns and puts in a call

My oh my how good is Cathedral Gardens looking? You see, aside from the tarmac repaired broken paving and the astro-turf around the seating in the lawns, the place is spic and span with an imaginative and fun water-feature that has been, for many years, the only one that regularly works.The pond at the Victoria Station end of this mini-cascade even sported a duck this week.

The grass has all been re-laid and the main communal areas repaired after the depredations of the Christmas entertainments, with their slaughter-the-lawns skating rink and  big tents with ice sculptures. 

This week there have been families picnicking on the lawns, kids splashing in the water, tourists, builders and youths lolling around enjoying the blue skies.

Now look. Oh dear. The newly laid grass is dry and the dying already, and the weekend looks set to be warm and precipitation-free once more. Is Manchester learning its lesson?

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Dead grass in Piccadilly Gardens in May last year, a few days after it had been laid
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Cathedral Gardens lawns this week

No doubt, lots of people will remember how, last year, in a moment of unparalleled stupidity when it comes to gardening husbandry, all the freshly laid grass in Piccadilly Gardens died three days after it had been laid. (Here's our story and a video interview with the Captain of the City Centre, Councillor Pat Karney.)

The official reason was that the spinklers on the lawns had been vandalised over that hot weekend. Confidential never quite bought that. It rather looked like nobody had bothered to schedule in a watering moment.

Concerned about the state of the lawns at Cathedral Gardens we put in a few calls. Good news. We think. As a result the council has asked for Cathedral Gardens to be inspected. We’re told that if they need to be watered then they will be watered. Let’s hope they are watered because they really, really need it.

If not, we have a solution. Can anybody in the city centre with a watering can, bucket, mug or tablespoon assemble outside the National Football Museum at 9am sharp on Saturday 20 April for a watering campaign. We are presently asking Metrolink if buckets of water may be allowed to ride for free on the trams as well.