About the garden
Owned by
Tatton Garden Society
The Lovell Quinta Arboretum is a 28-acre site in the heart of the Cheshire countryside. Once the private garden of Sir Bernard Lovell, founder and director of Jodrell Bank, it was originally created in the 1950s and has been continuously and lovingly developed into a site of international importance.
Many of the arboretum’s features were created by Sir Bernard to commemorate the events of his and his family’s life, such as the Reith Avenue, an elegant curve of red-twigged limes, which celebrates the eminent physicist’s series of Reith lectures for the BBC in the 1950s. A place of grassy walks, panoramic views over the Dane Valley and shady woodlands, the arboretum is a haven for walkers and serious arborists alike. Highlights include the three national collections collections of Quercus, Fraxinus, Pinus and also a collection of endangered conifers, the latter grown in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Edinburgh. Visitors will also notice many examples of champion trees, which are the best examples of their girth and height for that species in Cheshire and beyond. Sir Bernard was keen to plant an example of every species named in the volumes of W.J Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles and the collection now consists of around 2,500 trees and shrubs from 85 different families.
The refurbished lake was originally created in the 1960s and is now restored thanks to a grant from the Veolia Environmental Trust. The arboretum is accessed from a signed path at the left-hand side of the Swettenham Arms, where visitors can buy food and drink or book tables by contacting the pub directly. The arboretum has three self-guided trails – blue, red and yellow – indicated by coloured posts and a descriptive leaflet available by the noticeboard near the entrance. The collection, although initially intended to be scientific, has diversified to also demonstrate flower, leaf colour form and fruit to encourage educational interest in plants. To encourage this, Tatton Garden Society welcomes requests for guided tours and lectures (please contact our office for further information).
