BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 Best Gardens of Cornwall By Tania Hopkinson From the Tamar right down to Land’s End, Cornwall is blessed with some of the UK’s finest gardens. It is remarkable just how many, both large and small, diverse and wonderful gardens there are in what is a relatively small area. In fact there is such a range of lovely gardens that it is not easy to categorically state which are the best. And what makes Cornwall such a horticultural haven? There are several reasons, not least it is a slim peninsula which benefits from the benign affects of the Gulf Stream. The wonderfully mild maritime climate allows an array of plants to be grown en plein air that can be found nowhere else in the UK. Trebah Gardens © David Chapman 50 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 GARDEN: PAGE 1 : Bodmin Nursery 55 2 : Bonython Estate & Garden 53 3 : Caerhays Estate 53 4 : The Eden Project 53 5 : Enys Gardens 53 6 : Glendurgan Garden 53 7 : The Lost Garden of Heligan 53 Best Gardens 8 : The Japanese Garden 53 9 : Lamorran House Garden 53 Bude 10 : Lanhydrock 53 Widemouth Bay 11 : The Longcross Hotel & Victorian Garden 53 12 : Mount Edgcumbe House & Garden 53 13 : Pencarrow House & Garden 54 Boscastle 14 : Pinetum Gardens 54 Tintagel 15 : Poppy Cottage 54 Launceston of Cornwall 16 : St Michael’s Mount Garden 54 Port Isaac Camelford 17 : Trebah Garden 54 Polzeath 11 Rock 18 : Trellissick 54 Padstow 19 : Tremenheere Sculpture Garden 54 13 Bedruthan Steps Wadebridge 20 : Trengwainton Garden 54 Bodmin 21 : Trerice 54 8 1 Liskeard 22 : Tresco Abbey Garden 54 St Mawgan 10 Fistral 23 : Trewidden Gardens 54 Lostwithiel Crantock Newquay 21 24 : Trewithen Gardens 54 4 Looe Saltash Perranporth St Austell Fowey Polruan St Agnes 14 12 Polperro Porthtowan 7 24 Pentewen Portreath Mevagissey Redruth Truro Probus St Ives Godrevy 3 Gorran Haven Camborne 15 Zennor Carbis Bay Hayle 5 18 20 19 9 Falmouth Penzance Marazion Helston St Mawes Sennen Cove St Helen’s 23 16 Praa Sands Tean St Martin’s 6 17 Bryher Lands End Mousehole Porthleven 22 Tresco Porthcurno 2 St Keverne Samson Mullion St Mary’s Coverack Isles of Scilly Kennack Sands Kynance Cove Gugh St Agnes The Lizard The idea of creating beautiful gardens really started in the David Douglas spent a lot of time in the USA and botanical 1800’s. It became fashionable for the Victorians having amassed groups were astounded by the number and huge importance great wealth from both mining and banking to buy large ‘plots’ of of what he had found. Many plants that we recognise today land and having accumulated these acres there was a need to do were brought by him into general cultivation. For example, red- something with them. barked Dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’), Oregon-grape (Mahonia Fortunately for us, at that time there was a burgeoning band aquifolium) and the Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). In fact it of botanical explorers who took to roaming the globe. It was these was his plant collections, the conifers in particular, which were to men who found and brought back to Cornwall many species of be the way forward for the landscape and gardens of this county, as plants. The majority of which most of us think of as native to this they were used as specimen trees, shelter belts and copses. country; when in fact they originated from far and wide. As a William Lobb was an intrepid plant hunter who travelled consequence gardens and gardening developed. Today the gardens extensively to South and North America and was responsible for in Cornwall are prolifically stocked with, amongst other specimens, the introduction of the Monkey Puzzle tree, fuchsias, escallonias, a myriad of rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and magnolias all of ceanothus, embothrium, lapageria, crinodendron and later on many which thrive on our native acid soils and the moist air conifers such as Sequoiadendron giganteum; today it would be hard which abounds. to find a garden that did not contain a ‘Lobb’ plant. Men such as David Douglas, the Lobb brothers William and Thomas Lobb, William’s brother, also a prolific collector travelled Thomas, the Treseders, Thomas Bolitho, Ernest Wilson to name a to Singapore, Java, India, Malaya, Borneo and the Philipines from few, travelled to, and gathered plants from, far flung lands and where he brought many species for what was then a new fashion brought them to Cornwall where they have flourished ever since. of growing greenhouse plants. 51 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 John Treseder travelled to and imported from the Antipodes, the famous tree fern, Dicksonia antartica, which we have all grown to love, and the cordyline, the phormium and the wonderful eucalyptus to name just some. Thomas Bolitho of Trewidden was probably the first to introduce the camellia, magnolia, and rhododendron. And it was his daughter Mary, also with gardening in her blood and married to another keen gardener Charles Williams of Caerhays, who brought to Trewidden many plants bred by the Williams family such as the renowned Camellia x williamsii hybrids. Ernest Wilson or Ernest ‘Chinese’ Wilson as he became known for his plant collecting forays into China, was responsible for discovering over 2,000 species, amongst 1,000 plants he introduced to Europe is the lovely and popular Lilium regale, the ‘Handkerchief St Michael’s Mount Tree’, the giant dogwood and magnolia wilsonii. There are certain plants which suit Cornwall’s climate and soil Enys Gardens, near Penryn has outstanding examples of the conditions to such an extent that one could be forgiven for thinking Peruvian laurel (Laurelia sempervirens) and another champion that this is their original home. The renowned camellia for example tree, the Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa) standing 16m can be seen somewhere in flower during every month of the year; tall. Trengwainton Garden near Penzance, is well known for its Trewithen Grampound has a champion magnolias, Magnolia campbellii, (originally brought from fine collection. China) which offers a stunning display of huge and exotic blooms Then there are azaleas which normally flower in spring but and can lift the soul on any winter’s day. because of the shelter belts and benign conditions, can be found The variety of gardens in Cornwall is as diverse as the countries flowering at Lamorran Garden, St Mawes until July. from which the plants have originated, and each with their own If it is champion trees which interest you then many of the unique style. Whilst so many gardens are worthy of a mention, larger gardens are able to boast several fine specimens, Trewidden we are restricted by space in this publication, and so we have garden for example has 24 such wonderful trees. Trebah Garden highlighted some of our favourites picking out certain areas of at Mawnan Smith has the Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), interest. HandkerchiefNear Penryn Tree (Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriniana). For full information about a garden please visit their website. Discover A39 TO Tea room / Dogs welcome TRURO Open: April to the end of September 2pm - 5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 11am - 5pm on Sundays FOLLOW THE BROWN SIGNS Web: www.enysgardens.org.uk A39 TO B3292FROM PENRYN FALMOUTH Tel: 01326 377621 52 BEST OF CORNWALL 2020 BONYTHON ESTATE & GARDEN GLENDURGAN GARDEN Bonython, Cury Cross Lanes, Helston TR12 7BA Mawnan Smith, Near Falmouth TR11 5JZ T: 01326 240550 W: www.bonythonmanor.co.uk T: 01326 252020 W: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glendurgan-garden For opening hours and admission prices see website For opening hours and admission prices see website CAERHAYS ESTATE LAMORRAN HOUSE GARDEN Caerhays, Gorran PL26 6LY T: 01872 501310 W: www.caerhays.co.uk Upper Castle Road, St Mawes TR2 5BZ T: 01326 270800 W: www.lamorrangarden.co.uk For opening hours and admission prices see website LANHYDROCK Bodmin PL30 5AD T: 01208 265950 W: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock/ For opening hours and admission prices see website THE LONGCROSS HOTEL & VICTORIAN GARDEN Trelights, Port Isaac PL29 3TF T: 01208 880243 W: www.portisaac.com As one of Britain’s horticultural treasure troves, home to a National Collection of Magnolias and members of the Great Gardens of Cornwall, Caerhays Castle and Spring Gardens are nothing short of a spectacular spring time visit. The gardens are open from the 17th February – 14th June 2020 between 10am – 5pm (last entry at 4pm). The castle is open for guided tours from 16th March – 12th June 2020 weekdays only (not including bank holidays). Groups welcome for private guided tours of the castle and gardens. EDEN PROJECT Bodelva PL24 2SG T: 01726 811911 W: www.edenproject.com For opening hours and admission prices see website ENYS GARDENS St Gluvias, Penryn TR10 9LB The Longcross Victorian Garden offers 3 acres of restored garden which was originally designed by T: 01326 377621 W: www.enysgardens.org.uk Captain Allerdyce in the 1920’s. There is an interesting use of shrubs and hedgerows to protect the garden from all the sea salt in this rugged landscape. There is a pretty ornamental lake from which there are stunning views over some 30 miles of rugged Cornish coastline which can also be enjoyed from the lovely conservatory style café/restaurant and terrace. MOUNT EDGCUMBE HOUSE & GARDENS Cremyll, Nr. Torpoint PL10 1HZ T: 01752 822236 W: www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk For opening hours and admission prices see website HOUSE AND GARDENS PL30 3AG These largely natural gardens with an air of history and mystique are well worth a visit for those Between Bodmin and Wadebridge seeking an inspiring afternoon out. Features include a New Zealand Flower Garden, ponds, orchard, woodlands and bluebell meadow in spring.