Tatton Park Gardens
Encyclopedia
Tatton Park Gardens consist of formal and informal gardens in Tatton Park
to the south of Tatton Hall
, Cheshire
, England . Included in the gardens are an Italian garden, a walled garden, a rose garden and the Japanese garden. The buildings in the garden are the Conservatory, the Fernery and the Showhouse. The gardens are owned by the National Trust
and administered by East Cheshire Council. They are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
and are graded II*. The gardens are open to the public at advertised times.
es to the south, which is now the Broad Walk. An arboretum
was created during the 18th century and additions have been made to it since. The earliest reference to the arboretum is in 1795 when between five and ten species
were present. The first formal garden to be created for the present house was Charlotte's Garden, designed by Lewis William Wyatt in 1814. Lewis also designed the sandstone
Conservatory
which was originally joined to the house by a glass passageway. This was also known as the Orangery because for a time it was used for growing oranges. In the 1830s a copy of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
in Athens
was placed at the end of the Broad Walk. Gardens were established along the sides of the Broad Walk, including the Leech Pool and the area containing the Golden Brook.
In 1847 the terraces to the south of the house were laid out as an Italian Garden by Edward Milner
to a design by Joseph Paxton
. This was intended to reflect the opulence of the Grand Tour
. Later in the century, in 1883, Wilbraham Egerton added the stone balustrade
. The statue of Neptune
, which came from Venice
, was added in 1920. Over the years changes have been made to this garden, and it was restored to its original design in 1986. In 1859 the Fernery had been built to a design by George Stokes, Paxton's assistant and son-in-law, to the west of the Conservatory to house tree ferns
from New Zealand
.
In 1910, inspired by a visit to the Anglo-Japanese Exhibition
in London, Alan de Tatton
created the Japanese Garden
. Artifacts within the garden, including the Shinto shrine, are believed to have been brought from Japan for the construction of the garden. In 1913 Alan de Tatton laid out the Rose Garden for his wife which contained a pool for bathing. Maintenance work in this garden had to be completed by 10.00 am. to allow Lady Egerton to enjoy it without being disturbed. Later in the 20th century Maurice Egerton built the African Hut to the east of the Broad Walk as an association with his visits to Africa. He also planted large numbers of azalea
s and rhododendron
s. By the end of the 20th century the Japanese Garden had become overgrown and it was restored in 2001. Since then the kitchen garden has been restored and the head gardener is planning to construct a new garden to reflect garden design in the 20th and 21st centuries.
s, but which are actually chimney pots for what was once a heated wall. The ancillary buildings, including the mushroom sheds, onion stores, barns and glasshouses
, have been restored to their former uses. The vegetable garden contains varieties of plants which were known to have be grown at Tatton in the Edwardian era
. Some of the fruit in the garden was also grown during that time, while other varieties of fruit had been grown elsewhere in Cheshire. The glasshouses contain a representation of what would have been originally grown in them, including a restored pinery vinery for growing pineapples.
The Walled Garden leads into the "Pleasure Gardens" which were for enjoyment rather than utility. These contain the L Borders which include plants formally arranged to replicate the style of border developed by Gertrude Jekyll
. To the south of the L Borders is Charlotte's Garden. This was designed as a Gardenesque
type of garden, including a conservatory
, an arbour
, a fountain
, a rockery
and a snake path. These five elements can still be found in this garden. The L Border, the Broad Walk and Beech Avenue form the main path through the gardens to the south which lead to the Monument. Opposite Charlotte's Garden is the Topiary
which leads to the Rose Garden. This garden contains artifacts, including a Tea House, many of which were taken from the estate of Rostherne Manor. To the south of the Rose Garden is the Tower Garden which contains a brick tower whose original purpose was to watch for sheep-stealing on the park land. This garden also contains articles from Rostherne Manor. Along the western border of the garden is the Arboretum
which contains 880 plants in 281 species. Its important trees include a Giant Redwood
, a Weymouth Pine
, a Mexican White Pine
, an Ernest's Fir
and a Chilean Incense Cedar
.
The Japanese Garden is to the west of the southern end of the Broad Walk and is considered to be the finest Japanese garden
in the United Kingdom, if not in Europe. Artefacts in the garden include a Shinto Shrine, a tea house
, a bridge over the Golden Brook, and a number of lanterns. The garden contains plants, stones and rocks which have been placed to provide a natural balance. The stones and rocks are selected for their shapes, and a mound has been formed to replicate Mount Fuji
with its snow-capped summit. The plants include specimens of Japanese maple
and various moss
es. To the east of the Broad Walk is Maurice Egerton's African Hut. To the north of this is the Maze, which is planted with hornbeam
and beech
To the southeast of Tatton Hall is the Italian Garden, a formal garden on two terraces
. Its centrepiece is the statue of Neptune, which is unusual in that its pipework is visible at the back. To the south of the east end of the family wing are the Conservatory, the Fernery and the Showhouse.
and administered by East Cheshire Council. They are open to the public at advertised times. The Conservatory is closed to visitors but the glasshouses, Fernery and Showhouse are open. The Fernery still contains tree ferns and the Showhouse has changing displays of flowering plants. Produce from the Walled Garden can be purchased in the garden shop. A group of volunteers work to maintain the gardens. Courses are held on various aspects of gardening.
Tatton Park
Tatton Park is a historic estate in Cheshire, England, to the north of the town of Knutsford. It contains a mansion, Tatton Hall, a manor house dating from medieval times, Tatton Old Hall, gardens, a farm and a deer park of . It is a popular visitor attraction and hosts over 100 events annually...
to the south of Tatton Hall
Tatton Hall
Tatton Hall is a country house in Tatton Park near Knutsford, Cheshire, England . It has been designated as a Grade I listed building which is owned by the National Trust and administered in conjunction with Cheshire East Council.-History:...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England . Included in the gardens are an Italian garden, a walled garden, a rose garden and the Japanese garden. The buildings in the garden are the Conservatory, the Fernery and the Showhouse. The gardens are owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and administered by East Cheshire Council. They are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
and are graded II*. The gardens are open to the public at advertised times.
History
The first formal gardens were created around the early 18th century house and consisted of a walled garden to the south of the house, a formal semicircular pond to its north and formal lines of trees to the east and west. Later Samuel Wyatt set out an avenue of beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
es to the south, which is now the Broad Walk. An arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
was created during the 18th century and additions have been made to it since. The earliest reference to the arboretum is in 1795 when between five and ten species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
were present. The first formal garden to be created for the present house was Charlotte's Garden, designed by Lewis William Wyatt in 1814. Lewis also designed the sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
Conservatory
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
which was originally joined to the house by a glass passageway. This was also known as the Orangery because for a time it was used for growing oranges. In the 1830s a copy of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates near the Acropolis of Athens was erected by the choregos Lysicrates, a wealthy patron of musical performances in the Theater of Dionysus to commemorate the award of first prize in 335/334 BCE, to one of the performances he had sponsored...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
was placed at the end of the Broad Walk. Gardens were established along the sides of the Broad Walk, including the Leech Pool and the area containing the Golden Brook.
In 1847 the terraces to the south of the house were laid out as an Italian Garden by Edward Milner
Edward Milner
Edward Milner was an English landscape architect.-Early life and career:Edward Milner was born in Darley, Derbyshire, the eldest child of Henry Milner and Mary née Scales. Henry Milner was employed at Chatsworth by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, as a gardener and porter...
to a design by Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
. This was intended to reflect the opulence of the Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
. Later in the century, in 1883, Wilbraham Egerton added the stone balustrade
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
. The statue of Neptune
Neptune (mythology)
Neptune was the god of water and the sea in Roman mythology and religion. He is analogous with, but not identical to, the Greek god Poseidon. In the Greek-influenced tradition, Neptune was the brother of Jupiter and Pluto, each of them presiding over one of the three realms of the universe,...
, which came from Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, was added in 1920. Over the years changes have been made to this garden, and it was restored to its original design in 1986. In 1859 the Fernery had been built to a design by George Stokes, Paxton's assistant and son-in-law, to the west of the Conservatory to house tree ferns
Cyatheales
The order Cyatheales is a taxonomic division of the fern subclass, Cyatheatae, which includes the tree ferns. No clear morphological features characterize all of the Cyatheales, but DNA sequence data indicates that the order is monophyletic. Some species in the Cyatheales have tree-like growth...
from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Japan-British Exhibition (1910)
The took place at White City, London in Great Britain from 14 May 1910 to 29 October 1910. It was the largest international exposition that the Empire of Japan had participated in to date, and was driven by a desire of Japan to develop a more favorable public image in Great Britain following the...
in London, Alan de Tatton
Alan Egerton, 3rd Baron Egerton
Alan de Tatton Egerton, 3rd Baron Egerton , known as the Honourable Alan Egerton from 1859 to 1907, was a British Conservative politician....
created the Japanese Garden
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
. Artifacts within the garden, including the Shinto shrine, are believed to have been brought from Japan for the construction of the garden. In 1913 Alan de Tatton laid out the Rose Garden for his wife which contained a pool for bathing. Maintenance work in this garden had to be completed by 10.00 am. to allow Lady Egerton to enjoy it without being disturbed. Later in the 20th century Maurice Egerton built the African Hut to the east of the Broad Walk as an association with his visits to Africa. He also planted large numbers of azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
s and rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s. By the end of the 20th century the Japanese Garden had become overgrown and it was restored in 2001. Since then the kitchen garden has been restored and the head gardener is planning to construct a new garden to reflect garden design in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Layout
The present garden entrance leads from the stable yard into the Walled Garden. On top of the north-facing wall are objects which look like urnUrn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
s, but which are actually chimney pots for what was once a heated wall. The ancillary buildings, including the mushroom sheds, onion stores, barns and glasshouses
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
, have been restored to their former uses. The vegetable garden contains varieties of plants which were known to have be grown at Tatton in the Edwardian era
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
. Some of the fruit in the garden was also grown during that time, while other varieties of fruit had been grown elsewhere in Cheshire. The glasshouses contain a representation of what would have been originally grown in them, including a restored pinery vinery for growing pineapples.
The Walled Garden leads into the "Pleasure Gardens" which were for enjoyment rather than utility. These contain the L Borders which include plants formally arranged to replicate the style of border developed by Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
. To the south of the L Borders is Charlotte's Garden. This was designed as a Gardenesque
Gardenesque
The term gardenesque was introduced by John Claudius Loudon to describe a style of planting design in accordance with his 'Principle of Recognition'.-Definitions:...
type of garden, including a conservatory
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
, an arbour
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
, a fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
, a rockery
Rock Garden
The Rock Garden or Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a Sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden after its founder Nek Chand, a government official who started the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. Today it is spread over an area of forty-acres , it is...
and a snake path. These five elements can still be found in this garden. The L Border, the Broad Walk and Beech Avenue form the main path through the gardens to the south which lead to the Monument. Opposite Charlotte's Garden is the Topiary
Topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
which leads to the Rose Garden. This garden contains artifacts, including a Tea House, many of which were taken from the estate of Rostherne Manor. To the south of the Rose Garden is the Tower Garden which contains a brick tower whose original purpose was to watch for sheep-stealing on the park land. This garden also contains articles from Rostherne Manor. Along the western border of the garden is the Arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
which contains 880 plants in 281 species. Its important trees include a Giant Redwood
Sequoiadendron
Sequoiadendron giganteum is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens and...
, a Weymouth Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
, a Mexican White Pine
Mexican White Pine
Mexican White Pine, Pinus ayacahuite, the common name in Spanish is ayacahuite; family Pinaceae) is a species of pine native to the mountains of southern Mexico and western Central America, in the Sierra Madre del Sur and the eastern end of the Eje Volcánico Transversal, between 14° and 21°N...
, an Ernest's Fir
Abies recurvata
Abies recurvata is a species of conifer in the Pinaceae family.It is found only in China.-References:* Conifer Specialist Group 1998. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
and a Chilean Incense Cedar
Austrocedrus
Austrocedrus is a genus of conifer belonging to the cypress family Cupressaceae. It has only one species, Austrocedrus chilensis, native to the Valdivian temperate rain forests and the adjacent drier steppe-forests of central-southern Chile and western Argentina from 33°S to 44°S latitude...
.
The Japanese Garden is to the west of the southern end of the Broad Walk and is considered to be the finest Japanese garden
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
in the United Kingdom, if not in Europe. Artefacts in the garden include a Shinto Shrine, a tea house
Tea house
A tea house or tearoom is a venue centered on drinking tea. Its function varies widely depending on the culture, and some cultures have a variety of distinct tea-centered houses or parlors that all qualify under the English language term "tea house" or "tea room."-Asia:In Central Asia this term...
, a bridge over the Golden Brook, and a number of lanterns. The garden contains plants, stones and rocks which have been placed to provide a natural balance. The stones and rocks are selected for their shapes, and a mound has been formed to replicate Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
with its snow-capped summit. The plants include specimens of Japanese maple
Acer palmatum
Acer palmatum, called Japanese Maple or Smooth Japanese Maple is a species of woody plant native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their attractive leaf...
and various moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es. To the east of the Broad Walk is Maurice Egerton's African Hut. To the north of this is the Maze, which is planted with hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
and beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
To the southeast of Tatton Hall is the Italian Garden, a formal garden on two terraces
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
. Its centrepiece is the statue of Neptune, which is unusual in that its pipework is visible at the back. To the south of the east end of the family wing are the Conservatory, the Fernery and the Showhouse.
Present day
The gardens are owned by the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and administered by East Cheshire Council. They are open to the public at advertised times. The Conservatory is closed to visitors but the glasshouses, Fernery and Showhouse are open. The Fernery still contains tree ferns and the Showhouse has changing displays of flowering plants. Produce from the Walled Garden can be purchased in the garden shop. A group of volunteers work to maintain the gardens. Courses are held on various aspects of gardening.