Nurtured and cultivated for over 300 years, Tatton Park is home to hundreds of gorgeous plants that appear every season. We decided to take a trip down to Knutsford to show you our favourite things to see, do, and experience within the park!

If you’ve never had the absolute pleasure of visiting Tatton Park, maybe now is the time to plan your visit. Here’s our top attractions that you simply cannot miss on your adventure, all of which are perfect for the whole family.

The Kitchen Gardens

Although technically part of the pleasure gardens, we felt that the Kitchen Gardens deserve a special spotlight. Even though not many fruits and veggies were in season on our visit, you still get the feeling that the Kitchen Gardens are very well-loved and looked after, preserving their history by growing produce that would have been grown throughout the Victorian era.

On our visit, we spotted several beds of rhubarb, many of which looked ready for harvesting! Often, rhubarb crowns are planted in Spring and harvested in the summer, but if you force them to grow through the winter under terracotta pots, they will be ready to pick from mid-March. (Learn how grow rhubarb in your garden here)

Throughout the summer, the walled gardens are in full swing, displaying produce like cabbages, tomatoes, strawberries, and more. The garden also donates a lot of their produce to their nearby community shops, providing fresh fruits and veggies to the locals. 

The Pleasure Gardens

As you walk around the gardens, you’re guided section by section to different areas of the expansive grounds. The gardens were cultivated over 300 years by each generation of the Egerton family, the original owners of the estate. You can feel the influence of every family member, from Charlotte’s Rose Garden to the renowned Japanese Garden.

The gardens themselves are highly accessible, with flat grounds that make a leisurely stroll with your family an easier feat. On the quiet afternoon we visited, you could see families and couples exploring each area of the gardens, a lovely sight for a mid-week adventure! Although the gardens can get busy at peak times like weekends in the summer, we didn’t once feel rushed or hurried by crowds appreciating the various plants and flora.

These gardens certainly live up to their name! With 9 areas to explore, there is plenty to see and experience, even on a drizzly day. The conservatory and fernery provide shelter, as well as a window to the past. These areas of the garden must be an addition to your to-do list, as you explore the horticultural favourites that emulate the ones brought over from corners of the world by the Egerton family.

A firm favourite among many is the Japanese gardens, designed for Alan de Tatton in 1910. This nod to Japanese culture is crowned one of the most accurate representations in Europe. As the garden is so delicate, it is protected by fencing to be viewed from afar. However, Tatton Park holds guided tours of the Japanese garden in peak seasons, usually from March and is an extra £5 per person. You can find out more about their booking requirements here.

Explore each area the pleasure gardens has to offer, from Charlotte's Rose garden to the Italian Garden, around the Japanese garden, through the maze and out the other side! There's plenty for the whole family to see and enjoy, whatever the weather.

Overall, the gardens are a beautiful representation of gardening in the 18th century, with many plants grown for their historical accuracy. In its heyday, the grounds would have been home to a number of unique plants that the average person would never have seen before, all of which are still grown to this day.

The Farm

Open throughout Spring, the farm is a lovely addition to the Tatton Park estate which has something for the whole family. This April, they are holding a ‘Lambing week’ where you can meet all the newly born lambs (34 in total!) and all the baby chicks that have newly hatched.

Entry for the farm is £5 per person and is free for concessions with valid proof. You can find out more about the farm here.

The Park Grounds

The expansive park grounds that surround Tatton Park are complete with scenic views and plenty of nature walks for those who love a good wander. The best part about the park grounds is being able to watch the deer and sheep who wander freely around the area. When we visited, we tried to get a few pictures of the deer, but they were a bit wary of us, so we decided to leave them be and watch from afar.

The park grounds should definitely be on your to-do list when you visit, whether it's to say hello to the wildlife (at a safe distance) or to stroll around the lake that sits in the middle of the grounds.

The Mansion

Home to the Egerton family from the 18th century and up to the 1950’s, the mansion is a remarkable sight. Mostly used today as space for functions like weddings, exhibitions, and events, the mansion was once the sole home to the family that owned the estate – the Egerton's.

Lord Egerton’s Apartment is now used as a boardroom, specifically his bedroom which can hold up to 20 people. The mansion is open for tours from March to September. Find out more about opening and entry information here.

The Gardener’s Cottage

A trip to Tatton Park isn’t complete without having lunch at the Gardener’s Cottage. Sat near the entrance to the park, the cottage serves an array of nibbles as well as afternoon tea. A perfect place to sit and relax after a stroll through the gardens.

Although there are a few places to grab food through the morning and afternoon, the Gardener’s Cottage is perfect for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. Their afternoon tea must be ordered and paid for ahead of time, but with freshly baked scones and sandwiches, it’s worth the wait!