The Gardens are the key to the overall charm of Dorfold. With every season, the gardens reveal a plethora of magical elements. There are 19 acres to explore around the Hall.
Some of the elements date back several centuries, whilst others have only recently been reimagined to suit the contemporary aspects of the new event spaces. We hope both you, the bees and lots of the fauna come to enjoy the gardens!…Do also pop into The Tack for some refreshments and some views onto our award winning L’Écurie
A Greener Estate
From ground and air source heating, to keeping chickens & bees, as well as plans to reinstate one of the walled gardens as a source of seasonal produce we’re working towards a greener more sustainable estate that’s in tune with the seasons and nature.
LAKE
Offering a classical approach to the an English country house, our lake is also home to a very biodiverse ecosystem and to our ground source pipes!
1000-year-old SPANISH CHESTNUT TREE
Breathtaking and awe-inspiring, our chestnut tree is believed to have been originally part of the Delamere Forest when it stretched all the way to Nantwich.
SCULPTURES
From the Pierre-Louis Rouillard statue of the mastiff and her pups in the main courtyard (of which there is a bronze equivalent in the Louvre in Paris), to Shakespeare and the bust of King James I and his queen, these garden ornaments each have a story tell!
South LAWNS & BORDERS
The more formal part of the gardens offers views over the Cheshire countryside, framed by hundreds of roses and a myriad of english flowers.
THE DELL
In spring and autumn there is no place like the dell! It is an ever changing rainbow of colours in the most romantic setting. Originally designed in the Victorian times, it stands very similar to what it would have been back then.
ARCADIAN WALK
Brimming with flowers on either side, this narrow “corridor” of borders draws you to a secluded bench.
Tollemache WAlled Garden
The walled garden is slowly being brought back to life after having been left derelict for many decades. A wildflower meadow has been sown and we hopefully will soon start creating a vegetable patch and erect some fruit cages.
HISTORIC PHOTOS
A Glimpse at the past that shaped the now and hails the discoveries you might make on your journey to Dorfold’s gardens… Did you know there once used to be a parterre designed by William Nesfield just outside the back door?
THE FUTURE
Going forwards, we dream of making the Dorfold Estate a thriving hub in the local community, alongside our weddings, events, and Showground. We are renovating more historic cottages to create more accommodation for guests and holiday lets and most importantly working hard to become more sustainable at all levels!