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Garden Visits

Trentham Awakes

Trentham It's an ambitious commercial venture which is costing £100 million, with the restoration taking several years to complete, but if the last 18 months are anything to go by, then the project is certainly going to be a massive success.

St Modwen Properties PLC and German investor Willi Reitz bought Trentham in 1996 with the intention to regenerate and restore this historic estate. Today Trentham Leisure Ltd is working with some of the most talented people in landscape and garden design to help bring this challenging restoration to fruition. The aim to preserve the Estate's sense of heritage, but not to create a relic, is an important and welcome facet of the restoration. For example, the faithful restoration of Barry's Italian Gardens has been carefully carried out, but it is relevant to current tastes.

Visitors to Trentham can already enjoy the benefits of the Retail Village, as well as, a modern Garden Centre. There are 750 acres of delightful gardens, countryside and woodland to enjoy as well as Lakeside walks. There are also plans for a five-star hotel complex on the site of the original house.

The original grounds were laid out by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, followed by celebrated architect Charles Barry who, with head gardener George Fleming, designed the Italian Gardens. Trentham became one of the most celebrated gardens in the UK and it was only the increase in industry around the Potteries in the mid-Victorian era that led to its demise as the family home of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland.

Today, the restoration team, overseen by Land Use Consultant's Dominic Cole, has adopted the philosophy to combine the best historic elements with some cutting edge design techniques. The enthusiasm of men like Michael Walker, Trentham's garden manager, is infectious. "We want the garden to be one of the most significant horticultural projects in Europe" he says. Michael was formerly gardens manager at Waddesdon Manor with a reputation for developing world-class gardens.

Trentham's landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith's interpretation of the Italian Garden is inspired. He has used a repetitive planting scheme with a random style resulting in a soft, gentle blush of colour which is just perfect for the setting. Planting of the lower terrace reflects a more contemporary approach, while the upper flower garden has been recreated as an accurate restoration of the Barry/Fleming original design. Piet Oudolf is the third member of the team bringing an excellent design eye to the project.

Quite a number of overgrown conifers had to be removed to open up the landscape around the gardens and much to Michael's delight the softer lines of gravel have replaced the "municipal" tarmacadam paths.

Over 70,000 perennials have been used to create the Italian Gardens, the balustrade around the lake and gardens has been replaced and repaired and the original Trellis over the Trellis Walk restored.

Visitors can also experience the Barfuss-Park (Bare foot walking park) - a kind of do-it-yourself reflexology and gain inspiration from the "My back garden" themed gardens designed to offer ideas for any back garden.

So whether you want to have a picnic, a walk through the woodland or around the lake, visit the garden centre or shops, have a meal in one of the delightful restaurants, sail on the lake or just enjoy the varied wildlife - Trentham has it all.

Reckless wish all associated with this imaginative project good luck for the future and to Michael, Tom and Piet and the team, a big thank you for helping bring back to life this once beautiful estate and forgotten gem.

Trentham is situated off Jct 15 of the M6 – follow A500 to Stoke for 1 mile and then A34 to Trentham and Stone. Trentham is 1 mile on the right. Telephone 01782 646 646 to confirm opening times and prices. Trentham Retail Village is open 7 days a week 10am to 5pm. For more information please access web site >>