Take a trip around Cornwall’s gardens and discover phenomenal collections of beautiful plants from all around the globe that thrive in the county’s mild climate.
Monday Morning: From your hotel located beachside on the south coast just down from St Austell you’re in pole position to seek out some of the best gardens in the county. First stop has to be the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey. Twenty years ago this famous country estate was a mess of overgrown weeds but now it blooms with thousands of native and exotic plant species including the largest collection of tree ferns in Europe, thickets of bamboo and a banana plantation.
Monday Afternoon: Pop along the coast to Caerhays Castle, designed in 1808 by John Nash. The gardens are home to world famous rhododendron and camellia collections, which spill down the hillside to the sheltered Porthluney Beach, a perfect quiet spot for a picnic.
Monday Evening: At the medieval fishing port of Mevagissey wander around the narrow streets and watch the small trawlers come and go in the harbour. Have dinner at the Salamander Restaurant specialising in locally caught seafood and try their local salmon and pumpkin cakes.
Tuesday Morning: Start early at Pine Lodge Gardens in St Austell. Created by passionate gardener Shirley Clemo, it’s a great example of how Cornwall’s gardens have become showcases for the world’s flora. An immaculately kept garden that contains plants from the four corners of the globe, many of which Shirley has cultivated herself from seeds brought back from abroad.
Tuesday Afternoon: The futuristically impressive biomes at the Eden Project house a vast and internationally renowned plant collection and it’ll be as close to some exotic blooms as you’ll ever get without actually canoeing up the Amazon or scaling the Himalayas. Have a bite to eat in the on site cafe where over 75% of the menu is sourced from suppliers in Cornwall.
Tuesday Evening: End the day with a relaxing drink overlooking the sea from the Carlyon Bay Hotel Bar and take a stroll around the secluded garden and grounds.
Wednesday Morning
If ever there was a place to make you want to don your frock coats and crinolines, then Trewithen near Truro epitomises the small country estate beloved of all Jane Austen fans. Stroll around the thirty acres of tranquil garden that contains a world-class collection of specimens from China to Chile, North America to New Zealand and all points between.
Wednesday Afternoon: Declutter your mind and cleanse your soul at the Japanese Garden in the village of St Mawgan. Cloud-cut box trees, bamboo and over one hundred and twenty species of maple line the maze of pathways creating a perfect balance of scale and a Zen-like tranquillity.
Wednesday Evening: Stay in the village and head to the 18th century Falcon Inn. Sit outside while the friendly staff serve traditional dishes like steak and ale pie in a gorgeous valley setting.
Thursday Morning: On the way home pop into the Duchy Nursery at Lostwithiel one of Cornwall’s best stocked nurseries in the county. Take your pick from a huge collection of fuchsias, camellias, conifers, trees, shrubs and perennials and create that perfect Cornish garden back home.
to add an item to your Favourites basket.
