The designed landscape was laid out in the late 19th century following the construction of Tillypronie House. The gardens were established in the 1920s and 1930s and have been further developed since 1951. Historical map evidence is confined to the 1st & 2nd edition OS maps of 1865 & c.1910.
In the late 15th century, the estate was part of the lands of Mar, belonging to the Erskine family. They were dispossessed of their estates and title by the Crown but were later reinstated by Mary Queen of Scots in 1565 as being the legitimate heirs. Records show that, by 1696, the lands of Pronie were part of the Blelack Estate and owned by a branch of the Gordon family. The estate was again confiscated by the Crown during the 1745 rebellion. The rightful owner, Charles Gordon, repossessed the lands one year before he died in 1785. He was succeeded by his sister's grandson, Charles Rose Gordon, the 'Red Laird'. He too died without issue and the estate was sold in 1794 to Willian Gordon (no relation). On his death, his son inherited the lands. Blelack was sold separately to Sir Alexander Anderson and then, in 1865, to Sir Thomas J. Coltman (Mr Justice Coltman). Four years later, his son, William Coltman, bought the neighbouring estates of Deskry and Pitellachie. In 1851 his daughter, Charlotte, had married John Forbes Clark, attache to Sir Robert Gordon, British Ambassador in Vienna. In 1855 John Clark retired from diplomatic service, the same year in which his father, Sir James Clark, purchased the Pronie Estate. Sir James, an eminent Royal Physican, had been created Baronet in 1838 by Queen Victoria. It was he who, with the Earl of Aberdeen, had recommended Balmoral to the Royal Family. The Pronie Estate had been purchased soon after rebuilding work had commenced at Balmoral. In 1860, Sir James retired to Bagshot Park, Surrey.
The Pronie Estate was visited often by Sir James' son and daughter-in-law, John and Charlotte, where they stayed in the Lairds House which stood on the site of the present Laundry. They commissioned the present house and the foundation stone was laid by Queen Victoria in 1867. Sir James Clark died in 1870. On the completion of the house, many improvements were made to the estate. On Sir John's death, in 1910, Tillypronie was inherited by William Hew Coltman, his wife's nephew and grandson of Sir Thomas J Coltman. Thus, the estates of Tillypronie, Blelack, Deskry and Pitellachie were combined.
In 1922, Tillypronie was sold to Falconer L Wallace, Younger of Candacraig, who resided at Tillypronie for three years until his father's death. During his ownership, the western boundary of the estate was extended from Hillside Cottage to what is now the A97. Up until this time, access to Tillypronie was by courtesy of an agreement with the Migvie estate.
In 1925, Tillypronie was sold to Sir Thomas Royden, 2nd Baronet, who was created 1st Baron Royden in 1944. Sir Thomas acquired the estates of Blelack, Blackmill and Migvie. At Tillypronie, between 1925-35, Sir Thomas laid out the terraces to the south of the house and the informal gardens beyond, in addition to planting many ornamental trees and shrubs throughout the policies. During World War II, the house and nearby Reinacharn Lodge were let to Albyn School for Girls. Sir Thomas Royden died without issue in 1950. One year later the estate, which then included some 8,500 acres of land, was purchased by Mr. Gavin Astor, grandson of 1st Viscount Astor. Soon after, some 5,300 acres of the neighbouring Towie estate were acquired. Mr. Gavin Astor and his wife, Lady Irene Haig, youngest daughter of the late Field Marshall Earl Haig of Bemersyde, carried out many improvements to the estate. In 1971, he succeeded as 2nd Baron Astor of Hever and, since his death in 1984, improvements to the garden have been continued by Lady Astor. The estate is now the property of their younger son, the Hon Philip Astor.