Prideaux Place Garden
We had greatly enjoyed a house tour of Prideaux Place a few years ago. Later we learned that the gardens, which had disappointed us then, were under restoration under the aegis of Tom Petherick of Heligan fame. So in July 2008 we combined a walk from Harlyn Bay to Padstow with a visit to Prideaux Place Garden. We were delighted that so much that had been closed to us before was now open. A sign led us across the bridge over the road to the quarry garden (still to be restored) and to the deer park (a small herd grazing and views over the Camel Estuary to Roughtor and Brown Willy on Bodmin Moor). Not far from the deer park entrance is the newly discovered well that may be St. Petroc's original holy well while, at the edge of the lawn is an ancient Cornish Cross. A woodland walk then leads round to the formal garden. Sensibly no attempt has been made to recreate the original; instead a fountain pool with water lilies is surrounded by simple box-edged beds set in lawned areas. A massive amount of clearing has been done in the woodland areas, an avenue of limes has been planted as have spring shrubs and bulbs. The restoration still has some way to go to reach maturity but is well worth seeing, most particularly in conjunction with the house tour. We enjoyed our usual cream tea on the front terrace.
Believe all year 12.30 - 1700 Prideaux Place web site
Fountain Pool in the Formal Garden
More in Gardens
Probus Demonstration Garden
Describing itself as 'The Really Useful Garden', Probus Garden was established during the 1960s by Cornwall County Council. Its management was later taken over by the Friends of Probus Garden. Sadly visitor numbers have been poor and now there are worries for its future. The County Council, which still owns the site, has done a deal with a Wadebridge garden centre to build a vast garden centre on part of the site while retaining the demonstration gardens. The Friends fear their garden, lovingly cared for by one full time gardener and twenty volunteers, will be 'Chelseafied'. But the garden centre owner insists the commercial link is essential to its future.
Readymoney Cove
Open only during Fowey's Daphne du Maurier Festival in the latter part of May, the Reads' private garden, right by the beach in Readymoney Cove, is a casual, lush delight. Where Headland Garden (now closed) across the Fowey estuary, has had to work to create protection against the elements, Readymoney's south facing steep valley creates an ideal micro-climate for early and luxuriant growth - which suits their semi-wild style. Teas are good and the Reads are charming. Daphne du Maurier rented the house in 1942.
Roseland House Garden at Chacewater
We wouldn't go out of our way for this garden but, as an August 2007 Sunday NGS charity opening visit, it made a pleasant enough brief excursion. Essentially this is the Pridhams advertisement for their important clematis nursery and it is normally open two afternoons a week in summer. When we visited we were too late for most of the clematis but we enjoyed the two pools and might visit again when clematis, wisteria and honeysuckles are at their best.