Biddulph Grange Garden is one of the most intriguing and unusual National Trust properties in the country.
On a trip to this hidden gem, visitors can see gardens inspired by ancient Egypt, Italy and China in a single stroll.
It’s been described as a ‘horticultural Disneyland’, with entire continents crammed into sections of the garden.
A wander around the fascinating Grade I-listed grounds will bring you face-to-face with a group of stone sphinxes, a bright red Chinese pagoda by a lake, and a tiered Italian-style garden.
There’s also a Tudor-style Cheshire cottage and a sweeping Victorian garden with views of the valley below.
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The grounds at Biddulph Grange, right on the Staffordshire border with Cheshire, were designed by horticulturalist James Bateman as a ‘playful paradise’.
James took his massive collection of plants from around the globe and built entire worlds dedicated to them on his land, which are carefully preserved today by the National Trust.
This garden within Biddulph Grange packs in tonnes of features inspired by Chinese gardens.
There’s a red and turquoise pagoda overlooking a small lake with a traditional bridge crossing it, a small joss house (or temple), a tower, and even its very own ‘Great Wall’.
Red dragons are carved into the lawns and a golden sacred water buffalo sculpture overlooks the whole scene.
Bateman built his mansion in an Italian style, and the formal tiered gardens around it reflect that.
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The incredible terraces are packed with plants from around the world – it might be Italian in style, but Italian plants apparently don’t grow well on a wet and windy English hillside.
There aren’t many parts of the UK that could compare with the drama of the Himalayan mountains, but Biddulph Grange has tried to capture some of that magic in its glen area.
It’s filled with beautiful rock walls, streams, waterfalls and ferns.
There’s also a High Walk so you can take in the views of the garden from up high, before heading through to the tunnels that lead to the China Garden.
This unusual looking corner of the garden is The Stumpery, where dead tree stumps are used as scaffolding for climbing plants.
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Biddulph Grange’s stumpery is the oldest in the country and has been copied by many other gardens, including at Highgrove, Prince Charles’ home in Gloucestershire.
This Tudor-style cottage dates back to 1856 and its facade includes the initials of James and his wife Maria.
The National Trust has drawn possible links between the Cheshire Cottage and Queen Victoria’s famous Swiss Cottage, which she built for her nine children around the same time.
In Bateman’s time, the cottage would have been the commanding focus surrounded by small trees – now it’s dwarfed by amazing mature conifers.
Biddulph Grange is open from 10am to 3.30pm, Saturday to Wednesday, throughout January.
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It’s between 45 minutes and an hour to drive there from most parts of Greater Manchester.
You can also get there by taking the train to Congleton then a short bus ride on the 94 service to St Lawrence’s Church.
You can find out more about Biddulph Grange Garden at the National Trust website here.
Featured image: National Trust Images/John Miller
Things To Do
The viral factory in Oldham that sells £2 Colin the Caterpillar cakes
Thomas Melia
A factory in Oldham has gone viral online after sweet fiends discover they sell ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cakes for less than half price.
There are some things that just go hand in hand: a brew and a biscuit, peanut butter and jelly and Brits and their crazy obsession with a character chocolate cake from M&S called Colin the Caterpillar.
Since hitting the shelves in 1990, more than 15 million Colin the Caterpillars have made their way from supermarket shop floor to our sweet-treat-awaiting plates.
Who would’ve ever guessed that the home to this cheeky chappy, who M&S have made their unofficial mascot (after Percy Pig, of course), has been crafted and created right here in Oldham?
The utterly delicious Colin the Caterpillar cake which you can get for £2 at Park Cakes.The shelves at Park Cakes are stacked with Colins and Connies.Credit: The Manc Eats
Established in 1937, The Park Cake Bakeries – or just Park Cakes, colloquially – has been serving up this critter-inspired cake for over 30 years, and savvy shoppers have flocked to their factory shop to get their hands on some very sweet savings.
There’s a whole range of cakes on offer at this Oldham dessert factory shop, including slabs, sponges, loaves and even sweet pies too.
Whether you’re a firm believer that the birthday person deserves all of Colin’s white-choc face or you precisely cut it up so everyone gets some, Park Cakes has the solution, selling bags of the character’s chocolatey face so you can have one all to yourself.
The cake isn’t the only thing that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as the prices will too. Colin the Caterpillar, who normally retails for just under a tenner, is sold for around £2 at this Oldham factory shop.
It’s always the ones that look unassuming, isn’t it?
Alongside producing one of the most adored cakes in the UK, they’re also responsible for lots more of your favourite supermarket sweet treats, and we’re definitely not complaining.
You can let your sweet tooth go wild in this factory shop as they sell everything from rainbow birthday cakes to sticky toffee puddings.
There’s so much on offer too, how about a giant bag packed to the brim with misshapen golden flapjacks that’ll last you over a week and cost you less than a fiver? Sounds like a plan to me.
If you haven’t had enough of your Easter chocolate fix, why not trek over to Oldham and stock up on even more chocolate and sweet treats? Trust us, there’s plenty to choose from.
Park Cakes factory shop can be found on Ashton Road in Oldham and is open from 10am-4pm, so go and grab yourself a seriously sweet deal before everyone else beats you to it.
Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.Credit: The Manc
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Adam Higgin (via Facebook)
Things To Do
A charity auction is selling memorabilia from the ACTUAL Peaky Blinders set
Thomas Melia
Peaky Blinders super-fans get ready, because there’s a charity auction is currently open and items worn by the stars of the iconic TV seriesare up for grabs.
This exclusive event gives bidders the chance to own a piece of modern-day TV history in the form of not just merchandise but authentic memorabilia.
Let’s be honest, we’ve all wanted to pull on a flat cap and pretend we were a gangster at one point in our lives, and what better way to do so and relive your Peaky Blinders fantasy than by doing so with one from the show? Especially since you know your money is going towards a good cause.
Whether you want to look as dapper as Tommy Shelby, or you just want to add a culture-soaked collector’s item to your, well, collection, you might want to check this one if you’re a big Peaky fan.
Maybe you could own something from this very picture at the Peaky Blinders charity auction event.Walk away feeling dapper as ever with exclusive merchandise up for grabs at the Peaky Blinders charity auction event.Credit: BBC
Anyone planning on going to the Peaky Blinders charity auction event can bid in person or even register to bid online now if you won’t be free during the proceedings.
As for what is on the table, you could raise your virtual paddle for everything from a full suit worn by Cillian Murphy himself to Sam Claflin’s homburg hat, a pair of Michael Gray (Finn Cole) shiny shoes and much more.
And where else to hold said event and than Manchester’s very own Peaky Blinders bar on Peter Street just off the main Deansgate strip, where the action will culminate in a flamboyant and free-to-all event.
Those attending in person will be greeted with a welcome drink before being encouraged to join in with the final day of the auction – guests are encouraged to turn up in ‘true Shelby style’ of course.
All the funds raised will go towards the much-loved NHS foundation and specialist hospital, The Christie, Europe’s largest cancer centre, right here in Manchester.
Peaky Blinders bar on Peter St in Manchester city centre.Everyone knows the Peaky Blinders like a drink.
Tickets for this event cost nothing, but there is an option to add an additional donation if you wish, and bidding on items taken from the cult favourite TV show is open to everyone.
Daisy Jackson -
7th January 2022 
