Carwinion Garden
In April 2008 we took advantage of a Western Morning News '2 for the price of 1' offer to visit a couple of spring gardens near Mawnan Smith in the general area between Falmouth and the Helford River. Neither Carwinion nor Penjerrick could be said to rate anywhere compared to nearby Glendurgan and Trebah. Carwinion is perhaps an acceptable 1� hour visit for its �4 entry charge. Penjerrick is very poor value even at its lower �2.50; more of that elsewhere. Carwinion was the creation of the cadet branch of the Rogers family of Penrose near Helston, now a lovely estate owned by the National Trust, and was laid out in the late 19th century. As is usual in these parts, the 12 acre garden runs down a valley from the house. Unusually, if you exit at the bottom, you can (as we did) follow a footpath down through woodland to the Helford River at Porth Saxon. As you might expect of a garden with a bamboo nursery, that plant rather dominates. There are, however, also some good rhodos, azaleas and pieris and, early in the year, swathes of bluebells, primrose and anemones. Ponds are fairly well maintained but feature gardens - Quarry and Japanese - are disappointing; the Secret garden is better. Keep an eye out for some impressive trees, good tree ferns and vast gunneras.
Colourful azaleas on the Island on the driveway
Leave Mawnan Smith S towards Mawnan; end of village on R
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Chygurno at Lamorna
In May 2008 we had a busy gardens day. There are three gardens in the Lamorna Valley - Chygurno, Trewoofe House and Trewoofe Orchard - and, since we would be passing it on the way to Lamorna, we decided to include Trereife as well. Of the four, Trewoofe Orchard was the undoubted star, Chygurno the most remarkable, Trewoofe House pleasant but not outstanding, and Trereife a waste of time (with one honourable exception, the cafe)). A great bonus was that bluebells were everywhere.
Cotehele Garden
The garden of Cotehele House is really two. Behind the house, on the west, is a relatively formal compartmented garden within the old walled garden, recently restored. Here is a pool, herbaceous borders, orchard and annuals for cutting. Linking this to the valley garden on the east side is a sloping meadow, ablaze with hundreds of varieties of daffodils in spring and dotted with crocuses, anemones and fritillaries. The Tamar Valley was once prime daffodil growing territory, the early crop exported to London by water from Cotehele Quay. A grove of acers finally links meadow and terrace. Below the formal eastern rose terrace lies the ten-acre valley garden, a delight when its magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas are in flower. Later come impressive hydrangeas and superb dogwoods. At any time you can enjoy the view of an ancient dovecote across a lily pond, the palms, ferns, tree ferns, bamboos and gunnera. Views continue eastwards to take in the Calstock railroad viaduct over the River Tamar. A stream runs down the valley, through a series of small pools bordered by king cups, irises and candelabra primulas. Leaving the garden at the bottom end, a path leads left along the Tamar to Calstock, right heads down to Cotehele Quay with its small maritime museum, tearooms and visitor centre.
Creed House Garden
This must surely be Cornwall's most self-effacing garden. Although open to booked groups and occasionally for charity, you will find little mention of it in the usual sources. And there are none of the usual signs pointing to the garden, not even to the hamlet of Creed. An ill signed turning, about a third of the way up Grampound's main street, is actually Creed Lane. A mile down that you turn left just after the church and turn in the first gate on the left. It is worth doing so, as we found in Aigust 2006. The Croggons came to Creed House, the former Rectory, in 1974. The garden had been neglected for years and it was some while before they discovered extra buildings hidden under brambles and bindweed. Since then they have been steadily planting and improving and are now clearing some additional woodland. There are fine specimen trees - both young and old, several small ponds, a stream garden, a bog garden, shrub and herbaceous borders and a couple of lawns. Behind the stable yard is a walled garden with colourful planting around a lawn. The overall effect is very tranquil. Whilst here do take a look at the light and airy church, nestling below the garden, where my father's cousin Bertie was rector for several years before becoming rector at St. Just in Roseland. We visited Creed again in June 2016, found the garden colourful and well tended and enjoyed tea and cakes on the terrace.