THERE was blue blood in Styal when Princess Anne made a flying visit to the village for the official opening of Quarry Bank gardens.

With her brown hair tied back into its trademark bun and dressed in a beige pleated skirt and dogtooth check jacket, the Princess was greeted by a fleet of civic dignitaries and members of the National Trust when her helicopter touched down five minutes later than scheduled.

Following a tour of Quarry Bank House the Princess Royal, who used to be patron of Quarry Bank before it was taken over by the National Trust, was guided around the newly restored eighteenth century garden by head gardener Alan Knapper.

Alan, who has overseen the restoration project, admitted he was "slightly nervous" before his first royal encounter. Wearing a tie for just the second time this year for the occasion, he said: "She’s very forthright, so I’m going to be led by her."

After the visit, he said: "It went very well. She was impressed. She asked if we had done any planting and how long the work had been going on and why we chose the colours in the Ladies Garden.She also wanted to know the story behind the caves."

Alan added: "She also talked about the restoration work she’s doing at her garden at home and how she’s found paths which have been hidden for years and similar stuff to us."

During her tour, the Princess stopped to admire the bright yellow tulips and blue forget-me-nots in the Ladies Garden - chosen for their colours which are in the Greg family coat of arms.

With the help of Lyme Park’s head gardener Gary Rainford, the Princess then planted a Quercus Ilex tree - or Evergreen Oak - to commemorate her visit.

The oak was selected for the occasion as the mill’s founder, Samuel Greg, planted six of these trees in the late 1790s. As none had survived, it is hoped the new tree will flourish and provide a tangible link with the past while the garden continues to develop.

After the Princess had put down her spade, Alan’s ten year old daughter Sophie presented her with a posy of freesias, roses, Scottish thistle and bergenia leaves.

Sophie said: "She was very friendly and liked the garden and asked if we have time to enjoy the garden ourselves as we live here.The Princess then chatted with some of the 80 volunteers who have dug, weeded and planted over the past 12 months to help transform the garden."

Her visit finished with a private reception in the mill.