Thanks to his vision, and his team of gardeners, the once-neglected walled garden is glorious again and has earned Houghton Hall the coveted Garden of the Year Award from the Historic Houses Association.

The HHA award, which will be presented at the hall on Monday, May 12, recognises gardens with outstanding horticultural and public appeal.

Houghton Hall, which was commissioned in 1734 by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first prime minister, has had its ups and downs. The magnificent property and its surroundings fell into a state of disrepair after his death but it was brought back from the brink when the 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley inherited the estate in 1797.

His family rescued the property from debt and created Houghton as it is today – a thriving estate, successful tourist and visitor attraction, and now the winner of the prestigious garden award.

The present Marquess set about restoring the 18th century five-acre walled garden nearly 18 years ago.

He was inspired by the work that his grandparents began during their ownership of the hall and he has dedicated the 21st century garden to his grandmother, Sybil, Marchioness of Cholmondeley, who died in 1989.

"The difficulty was to create variety and interest in a flat space with no architectural or water features," explained Lord Cholmondeley.

He said they found the solution in a succession of rooms divided by hedges, rather like Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent.

"So that visitors will be constantly surprised by views through narrow entrances and discover areas with very different atmospheres," he added.

Around 20,000 visitors a year come to Houghton, which is now open for the summer season, and will be able to see the new attraction.

One part of the garden has an Italian theme with limes and plum trees and a rustic temple adorned with deer antlers from some of the 700 or so white fallow deer that live in the parkland.

The main Mediterranean garden has a pool, displays of lavender and rosemary, and has the Marchioness's initials picked out in swirling box hedges.

There is an orchard with a glasshouse filled with orchids, a wisteria walk and a rose garden with more than 150 different varieties planted round a sunken fountain and ancient Italian sculptures.