Trebah Garden, Falmouth
Rated as one of the finest gardens in the world, Trebah Garden is a sub-tropical paradise with a stunning coastal backdrop. Offering a year round experience, spring sees Trebah come alive with an array of 100-year-old rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias and in summer, the giant gunnera is a must see. Hydrangea Valley casts clouds of china blue and soft white across Mallard Pond in autumn followed by a spectacular champion trees display in the winter with colour added by the flowering southern hemisphere plants. Other treats include the Water Garden, Beach Path, the Amphitheatre, the Summerhouse and the restaurant and café that provide seasonal, home-cooked delights.
Trelissick, Truro
On its own peninsula, with commanding views over the Fal Estuary, Trelissick woodland garden has one of the best natural settings in the country. There are 30 acres to explore in this majestic yet tranquil setting. The garden as it looks today, with canopies of Beech, sweet chestnut, and specimen conifers, dates from roughly 1870. Meandering paths lead you through impressive collections of Magnolias, Camellias, Rhododendrons and Hydrangeas, together with woodland plants and herbaceous borders that provide year-round colour and interest. With special places to shelter and interesting plants to see all year round there is a lot to explore in the garden.
Penjerrick Garden, Falmouth
Sooth the senses in this atmospheric, semi-tropical garden that spreads across 15 acres. Home to a botanical collection of considerable historical interest and awe-inspiring natural beauty, including rhododendrons, magnolias, tree ferns and gunnera gathered from around the globe, the gardens are also inhabited by the Penjerrick and Barclayi hybrid rhododendrons, unique specimens created in the gardens’ infancy by the Fox family, renowned for their contribution to the local landscape in the form of the Trebah and Glendurgan gardens. This is a hidden gem of a garden, and thus retains those magical qualities appealing to those who are seeking something off the commercially beaten track.
Glendurgan Garden, Falmouth
Lose yourself in the natural beauty and stunning flora of any one of the three valleys of Glendurgan. The valleys sloping sides are carpeted with wildflowers in spring, whilst exotic flowers are framed by big leaves in the jungle-like lower sections, allowing the sun-worshipping specimens to bloom on the upper banks. At the bottom of the garden is the quaint hamlet of Durgan on the Helford River – a place to watch birds and boats, skim stones and build sand-castles. Wander back up and enjoy the delights of a boat-seat, a gigantic tulip-tree, ponds teeming with wildlife and a maze that has been foxing people for over 180 years.
Eden Project, Bodelva
Gardens don’t get much bigger and more diverse than this. Eden Project’s world famous horticultural extravaganza is home to three incredible climatic zones and nearly two million plants. Massive biomes, housing the largest rainforest in captivity, stunning plants and exhibitions serve as a backdrop to the striking contemporary gardens. Throughout the year highlights include a 25,000 tulip display, the beautiful Protea Grandiceps in full bloom, pink and white species of cistus, sweet-scented narcissus, heliconia, alpinia malaccensis, calliandra, orchids, fiery dogwood, British wildflowers in the Wild Cornwall and Myth and Folklore areas, plus so much more to tickle your senses.