The Palmer family acquired the land after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the early 16th century, laying the foundation stone of the house in 1577. The Bysshops family bought the estate in 1601 and the 17th Baroness Zouche of Harynworth, a member of that family, sold it in 1922 to The Hon. Clive Pearson. His daughter, Veronica Tritton, lived at Parham until she died in 1993 and her great-neice, Lady Emma Barnard, still lives in the private side of the house with her husband James. Thus only three families have lived at Parham since the 1530's. Mr. Pearson and his wife, Alicia, restored the gardens before WWII, having found them in a sad state when the bought the estate, and opened them to the public in 1948.

The 14th Lord Zouche designed the Pleasure Grounds and Pond in about 1863. Victor Heal, FRIBA, designed the garden buildings and laid out the paths in the 1920s. Peter Coats, the garden designer, was brought in in the 1980s to lay out the Entrance Borders and Blue and Gold Borders. The vegetable, rose and lavender gardens were all planned and laid out in the 1990's. All the existing borders have been re-planned and replanted, again in the 1990's. This work was carried out by Joe Reardon-Smith and Ray Gibbs, the emphasis being on the late romantic English garden tradition. Veronica's Maze was built in 1991 and named after Mrs. Tritton. Its design is adapted from the intricate 16th century embroidery on the Great Bed in the Great Chamber in the House. Tom Brown is the current Head Gardener.