Tatton takes a bow and shows the world its wonders

It was a bit like a match made in Heaven – a gardening organisation with history, kudos and big plans; and a National Trust property with 2,000 acres of Cheshire's finest and a potential audience of millions just a short drive away. A bit of a symbiotic relationship, really, but one which continues to blossom.

This year, the RHS event is on July 21-25, and you can expect tens of thousands of visitors flocking to see what's on offer – and, of course, if they have any sense, to see the grounds and gardens at Tatton Park itself.

Tickets are now on sale, so start planning your day out. Buy tickets online now, or call 0844 209 0357.

The show has made a huge difference to Tatton, admits head gardener Sam Youd, who has 14 gardeners and as many as 70 volunteers to help maintain the gardens, where, he says, no changes are made for change's sake.

Nevertheless, the gardens are an on-going project, and the estate is aiming to increase visitor numbers, partly on the back of the RHS event.

"We have many people coming here in winter to walk the grounds," says Sam. "Many more come in summer, like migratory birds. Many come back time after time. It's nostalgia, really."

The gardens have been developing for more than 200 years with each successive owner of the estate playing their part in its evolution.

Today, perhaps the most popular part is the Japanese garden, built in the early 1900s by Japanese workmen. It was restored in 2000/2001 and is considered one of the finest in the country. It's a haven of tranquillity set among acres of peace and quiet.

Anyone going to the RHS show would be foolish not to take a look – and also pay a visit to the magnificent fernery, designed in the late 1850s by Joseph Paxton and providing Lord Egerton with a showcase for his collection of Australian and New Zealand Tree Ferns, which is now of national significance.

Worth a day out? Definitely. And a repeat visit.

www.tattonpark.org.uk www.RHS.org.uk

YP MAG 19/6/10