Penjerrick

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 appalling value even at its lower �2.50. And yet we had had quite high expectations. A visitor to my web site (I think his name is Tilo) was so taken by Penjerrick that his son Georg created a Penjerrick web site which raves about it and quotes expert Patrick Taylor and a Western Morning News reviewer doing the same. We don't. We suspect that the present owner, a descendant of the Robert Were Fox and Barclay Fox who created Penjerrick in the mid 18th century, is resentful that the National Trust refused to accept it in 1990 and wonder whether the present regime of 'benign neglect' stems from that. The result reflects her 'jungle' philosophy but means that ponds are clogged, paths are deep in mud and few shrubs bloom. Even by the house, which was the best-kept part of the garden - with bluebells, azaleas and tall firs - it was thick with dog mess. We fear that Penjerrick's underlying philosophy is less benign neglect, more contempt for the paying visitor.

A fallen tree fern is a rare entertaining feature

1 mile south of Budock Water, on the road to Mawnan Smith