The play opens in the early hours of a May morning in the old nursery on the estate of Lyubov Andreyevna Ranevskaya, where her maid Dunyasha and neighbour Lopakhin are awaiting Madame Ranevskaya and her daughter Anya’s return from France, where they have been living for five years. At this point, Yepikhodov the clumsy clerk enters the room with a bouquet of flowers for Dunyasha, who leaves to get drinks, leaving the two men alone to talk about the weather. As Yepikhodov leaves, Dunyasha reveals to Lopakhin that the clerk has proposed to her but that she does not love him.

Madame Ranevskaya and her entourage finally return and enter the nursery. Filled with emotion, she bursts into tears of joy at being back on her estate. After greetings everyone exits, leaving Anya and the maid Dunyasha alone. They discuss the fact that Trofimov, who used to tutor Madame Ranevskaya’s dead son Grisha, has remained on the estate.

Vanya, Madame Ranevskaya’s elder daughter who was left behind to run the estate in the absence of her mother and sister enters the nursery and after ordering Dunyasha to go and make some coffee for her newly returned mother, embraces her sister in joy, having spent five years apart. Their joy is marred howver by the family’s financial issues. Their mother is spending money as though she is still in posession of her once large fortune, and they can no longer afford to even pay the interest on the estate’s mortgage. They mention that if a payment isn’t made soon, the cherry orchard that makes up the majority of the estate will have to be sold.

At this point Lopakhin breifly enters and begins to tease the sisters before leaving once more. Varya is close to tears as the sisters talk about Lopakhin’s hesitancy in proposing to her. The sisters decide that they will have to tell their mother that Trofimov is still on the estate as they fear that seeing him will deeply upset her and remind her of her young son’s death. Later, a plan that may save the estate is discussed.

The cherry orchard is still in danger of having to be sold, but most of the characters seem more preoccupied with their personal relationships. Both the clerk Yepikhodov and a young manservant Yasha are trying to attract the attantion of the maid Dunyasha, whilst Anya has fallen for Torfimov. Varya is infuriated with her sister, and is also becoming the subject of mnay rumours that she and Lopakhin are engaged. Lopakhin attempts to change the subject and begins to discuss the financial state of the estate. Madame Ranevskaya reveals how a cruel man in Paris took advantage of her feelings and money, leaving her in the terrible financial situation that she finds herself in now.

Later, Madame Ranevskaya hears a band playing and announces that she will hold a party where the band will play. Lopakhin teases Trofimov about being a student, but Trofimov begins to discuss his philosophy of work, to the amusement of everyone around. Meanwhile a poor man walks by begging for money. Madame Ranevskaya automatically and thoughtlessly gives the man all of the money that she has, ignoring Varya’s protests.

Later at dinner, Lopakhin begins to insist that the cherry orchard must be sold off to pay for Madame Ranevskaya’s debt. While everyone else is eating, Anya stops behind to talk to Trofimov. They discuss how annoyed they are becoming at being watched so closely by Varya, who screams out to them as she sees them head towards the river together, after Anya has promised her sister that she will begin a new life and forget the past.

After many months, the evening of Madame Ranevskaya’s party has arrived. Withe the band playing in the background, the guests all enter the ballroom in couples, preparing to dance the grand rond. As well as the party, it is also the night that the estate is to be auctioned. Madame Ranevskaya’s brother Leonid Andreyevich Gayev has managed to secure a very small amount of money from their aunt in Yaroslav with which he hopes to be able to but the estate and keep it in the family. Varya becomes worried about paying the musicians and begins to yell at her neighbour for drinking, at Dunyasha for dancing and at Yepikhodov for playing billiards.

Later that evening, Trofimov teases Varya, calling her ‘Madame Lopakhina.’ Madame Ranevskaya tells him to stop, but then goes on to try to convince Varya herself that she should marry Lopakhin. Varys refues to agree, as she will not propose herself.

Trofimov and Madame Ranevskaya are left alone, and she shows him a telegram that she has received from her French lover, saying that he is ill and lonely and needs her help. Madame Ranevskaya believes that she should return to France to help him, but Trofimov is incredulous that she would even consider going back to help the man who effectively robbed her. They argue about love and experience, and as Trofimov leaves in anger, he falls down the stairs and has to be carried back in by the others. He and Madame Ranevskaya are soon laughing about their argument and reconcile.

After a while Gayev and Lopakhin return. Gayev however remains very distant and refuses to discuss the outcome of the auction. Whem Madame Ranevskaya asks Lopakhin who has bought the estate, he reveals that he himself has bought it and plans to cut down all of the trees and destroy the orchard. Outraged, Varya throws the estate keys to the ground as Lopakhin stands proud and smug at his victory. Madame Ranevskaya is comforted by Anya, who tries to convince her mother that the future will be better now that the orchard has been sold.

Everyone again gathers in the nursery, as they prepare to move out of the estate. All of the peasants from the town come to say goodbye to Madame Ranevskaya and Gayev, while Lopakhin wishes them the best with their travels by opening a bottle of champagne. Anya enters and yells at Lopakhin for ordering workers to cut down the orchard while the family are still there. Lopakhin apologises and immediately orders the workers to stop, in the hope that he may be reconciled with the family that he still loves, and that once loved him.

The young manservant Yasha informs Anya that the older manservant Firs has been taken to hospital. Once Yasha is alone Dunyasha enters and asks him for an affectionate parting. Yasha refuses, saying that he can no longer live in Russia and that he feels he belongs in France.

When Gayev and Madame Ranevskaya return to the nursery they reveal that Gayev has a new job in a bank, but that Madame Ranevskaya is returning to Paris to be with her deceitful lover. Madame Ranevskaya argues with Lopakhin for his stalling to propose to arya. Lopakhin admits that he can’t explain why he hasn’t yet proposed and that he will do so immediately.

When Lopakhin and Varya are left alone, they talk about the weather and travels, avoiding the subject of marriage. Lopakhin leaves the room hastily when called, and fails to propose to her. Varya is left devastated. After Varya is comforted by her mother, the family and all of the servants leave the estate one by one, after bidding farewell to the orchard. Madame Ranevskaya watches tearfully as her old life and home is boarded up and locked for the last time.

Firs, the older manservant then appears at the door having left hospital, looking extremely ill. He discovers that the door has been locked and believes that he has been left behind and forgotten. He feels very weak and decides to lie down for a while, and his body gives in and he dies. As Firs lies dead, all that can be heard is the sound of an axe striking the trees in the orchard.