Gardens
Enjoying the warmth of the Gulf Stream, these magical Cornish gardens are home to some of the most exciting, rare and beautiful plants and trees in the British Isles.
Cornwall boasts some of the most diverse and truly beautiful gardens where visitors can explore beautiful landscapes packed with native Cornish flora as well as exotic plants from all over the world. These gardens are wonderful visitor attractions suitable for people of all ages and hold plenty to see and do.
Cornwalls Beautiful Gardens
Gardens spring into life much earlier in the season than you would’ve thought possible and the array of exotic plants will also surprise you — some gardens will make you feel you’ve been transported to South Africa, Chile, Australia or the Balearics!
Spring in Cornwall begins as early as February. Book an early spring escape and celebrate its arrival by visiting our wonderful gardens as they burst into life.
Gardens
Five to try; Dog friendly gardens
Four-legged visitors are welcomed with open paws in many of Cornwall’s glorious gardens. We’ve sniffed out those that are open all year-round for walkies so take our lead and get tails wagging.
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Cornwall's Spring Story
In Cornwall, spring arrives with a flourish, announced not by calendar dates but by the blossoming of magnolia trees. Experience this unique Cornish tradition by visiting our top magnolia spots.
Cornwall wideRead more
A year in bloom: Cornwall’s must-visit gardens
Whatever time of year, Cornwall’s glorious gardens are always worth a visit. Check out our month by month guide of what’s blooming and when.
Cornwall wideRead more
Patricia E - April 2023 — Review of Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith
Explore Cornwall's captivating gardens, where vibrant blooms and lush landscapes create a haven of tranquility and natural beauty. View our listings and plan your next visit.
FAQ's
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The mild climate caused by the Gulf steam means the south side of Cornwall has some fantatstic gardens to visit. Perhaps the best known are the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey. Come in the spring and be blown away by the colours...
Down near Falmouth there's Trebah and Glendurgan, sitting side by side and running down valleys to the Helford Passage, there a must if your in that area.
Smaller gardens such as Pinetum Park and the Hidden Garden are on the outskirts of St Austell. as is the Eden Project, not technically a garden, more a environmental wonderland!
And if you're in the far east of Cornwall, a visit to Mt Edgcumbe Country Park should be on your list, and allow a day to do the place justice. The formal gardens are amazing, and then there's the deerpark and all the rest of the surrounding countryside.
The gardens themselves recommend at least four hours to have a look around. Visit Cornwall suggest you could easily stay there all day! A lot depends how interested you are in gardens, plants, etc and what time of the year it is...
Travel to Cornwall by car
It takes less than five hours to get from London or Birmingham to the heart of Cornwall by car.
Drive along the M4 motorway from London, or M6 from Manchester, and then the M5 to Exeter and finally either the A30, that is mostly dual carriageway, or the A38 passing Plymouth and Saltash into South East Cornwall.
Alternatively if you enter Cornwall from North Devon, there is the scenic A39 Atlantic Highway running through Bude, which you can join from Junction 27 on the M5.
Due to the high volume of traffic on Cornwall's roads during the summer months the main routes can become congested especially at weekends. Travelling overnight or outside peak rush hours is recommended to avoid long delays.
- To plan your journey use the AA Route Planner for a tailor made travel plan with timings and mileage
- For information on possible delays or roadwork's throughout the UK or in Cornwall visit Traffic Watch
- Travelling to Cornwall with a caravan? Check out this Caravan Towing guide
Travel to Cornwall by coach and bus
National Express operate a full service into Cornwall as far as Penzance, Megabuss also go to a few towns including Newquay and Falmouth.
Coach travel times from London or Birmingham to the city of Truro are around 7-8 hours
Many tour operators offer coach holidays to Cornwall, contact your local travel agent for details.
For information on public transport, including local bus timetables, once you are in Cornwall [click here].(https://www.firstbus.co.uk/cornwall/plan-journey/timetables).
If you are bringing a coach to Cornwall, did you know Cornwall Council now offers a weekly coach rover ticket. This is available for all car parks where coaches are permitted and costs £16.60 for 24 hours or £55.35 for 7 days and £38.75 for 4 days.
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