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Princess to visit Styal

30/ 4/2008

STYAL will get the royal treatment when HRH Princess Anne visits the village next week on Wednesday, May 7.

In a twist to the royal garden parties she normally frequents, the Princess Royal will be visiting the National Trust’s newly restored Quarry Bank Garden on the mill estate.

The trust invited the Princess to perform the official opening of the garden last year.

Tiffany Hunt, North West Regional Director, said: "We are delighted that Her Royal Highness has agreed to officially open Quarry Bank Garden as we celebrate Cheshire’s Year of Gardens 2008.

"We hope that Her Royal Highness will enjoy her visit, as the garden is now looking wonderful in its spring colours.The Princess is to also meet some of our 60 volunteers who have worked extremely hard over the last year with head gardener Alan Knapper on the first phase of restoring Quarry Bank Garden to how it might have looked a century ago during the late Victorian era, using the many archive photographs we have of the garden at that time as reference. I know they are looking forward to her visit immensely".

The Princess Royal will be greeted by local dignitaries and representatives from the National Trust on arrival at Quarry Bank Mill.

She will then be shown the interior of Quarry Bank House, which is currently being restored, before touring the garden, and planting a Quercus Ilex - or Evergreen Oak tree - to commemorate her visit.

This species has been chosen for the occasion as Quarry Bank garden’s creator, Samuel Greg, purchased six of these trees in 1790 from Caldwell's Nursery.

Following the presentation, Princess Anne will attend a private reception in the mill restaurant, where she will meet local dignitaries and volunteers from Quarry Bank Garden.

For security reasons Quarry Bank Mill and Garden will be closed to the public on May 7 for the duration of the Royal visit.