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Tatton Park - Cheshire

Tatton Park, Cheshire, is an extensive and very attractive estate in Cheshire. It was identified as "Historic House of the Year 2004" by the Good Britain Guide and came out top as the best stately home in the country in The Independent newspaper's magazine.

It is testament to successive generations of the Egerton family, a junior branch of a family headed by the Earls and Dukes of Bridgewater. As each generation came to live at Tatton so the garden was enlarged giving us today a wealth of horticultural subjects and styles. As fashion changed it was the practice in many gardens to sweep the old away and create the new style. At Tatton the family simply used more of the extensive park land, thus continually enlarging the garden - the result is quite charming.

Garden Background:

The work of several landscape artists can be seen at Tatton. Humphry Repton, John Webb. Lewis Wyatt and William Eames have all left their mark.

Although rainfall is relatively low the garden does experience quite severe winter conditions and so many of the most tender plants have to be grown by the warm walls. The garden benefits from some lovely statuary and there are also a number of interesting garden buildings.

The Garden:

Plan to give yourself plenty of time to tour Tatton. The pleasure gardens run to some 50 acres and then there is a lovely extensive parkland beyond. You can wander from the delightful Walled Garden into the Nursery Garden, through to the Rose Garden and into the Tower Garden. There is an Arboretum, a wonderful Japenese Garden (which has recently undergone extensive renovation), a Maze, an Italian Garden and masses of Yew Topiary. Many of the smaller familiar gardens have been laid out for successive ladies of Tatton.

The Rose Garden was created in 1913 for Lady Egerton and has a pool which was once used for bathing by the family.The Rose Garden is very Edwardian in character. Charlotte's Garden, designed by Lewis Wyatt in 1814, was named for Lady Charlotte Egerton and is an example of "Gardenesque" - small beds usually with a conservatory, arbor, a rockery and perhaps a fountain.

The Japenese Garden is one of the finest examples of its type in Europe. The Shinto shrine is believed to have been brought from Japan. Visit Tatton in the Autumn and this garden really comes to life.

The Italian Garden was completed about 1890 with Joseph Paxton responsible for the design. Neptune watches over this part of the garden which is very formal and affords wonderful views across the surrounding Cheshire countryside.

Finally there is the Mansion, a beautiful house with lots to see and enjoy.

Inspiration:

Tons! Tatton really is one of my favourite gardens and I go back again and again. There is inspiration for rose lovers, for those who like Ferns, the Japanese style of gardening, exotic tree varieties and formal gardening design.

How to get there:

Tatton is managed and maintained by Cheshire County Council on behalf of the National Trust. It is 2 miles north of Knutsford and 12 miles south of Manchester city center. It is signposted on and from the M6, junction 19, and M56, junction 7. Signposted on and from A56 and A50.

For further details please access the website: www.tattonpark.org.uk