Trengwainton Garden
Although situated some 400 feet above sea level in a part of Cornwall exposed to Atlantic gales, the garden is happily well sheltered. Created by Sir Edward Bolitho, Cornish banker and mine owner, it lies below the Bolitho family home. Trengwainton is essentially four gardens in one - a linear stream garden, with lilies, candelabra primulas and bog plants beside a long drive to the house; a Cornish garden with tree ferns, magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas; a terraced garden with pavilions and long views to St. Michael's Mount; and an unusual walled garden of ten compartments, most of them restored by 2006, one with a giant magnolia. Since we love Trengwainton, partly because it is so different from most other Cornish gardens, we revisited with sister Mary in April 2006. We found more of the walled garden restoration completed - one section we saw was filled with daffodils. The stream garden had been lengthened and was more luxuriant but not at its best yet; we re-visited at the end of May and it was. As always, the National Trust's maintenance is excellent. There is the usual shop and a small self-service restaurant with outside tables.
Signed from A30 Penzance by-pass
Part of Trengwainton's lovely stream garden
April 2015: After visiting Penlee House for their excellent Sons and Daughters of the Soil exhibition, we went on to Trengwainton. While the garden is perhaps better seen in May and June, magnolias and camellias were superb and the stream garden was beginning to look good.
More in Gardens
Trevarno Garden - 2020: unsure whether Trevarno open again to public
You learn eventually that you should not rely on first impressions, sometimes not on second impressions. We had visited Trevarno in 2003, not long after it opened and were distinctly unimpressed. I had taken visitors in 2004 and their view was much the same. Then we went back in April 2006 and changed our minds. In 2003 little had been restored bar the lake. Now, although the walled gardens were still under restoration, all was immaculate - lake, Victorian boathouse, cascade, sunken Italian garden, lawns, serpentine yew tunnel, walled garden, bog garden and rockery. Trevarno is hardly Cornish, even a camellia we spotted was an unusual rich creamy colour. Nor indeed is it a garden in the conventional sense, rather it is an ornamental park - and a thoroughly delightful one at that.
Trewidden Garden
Visited in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2015
Trewithen Garden
This is one of Cornwall's most admired gardens. The government grants it official Historic Garden Grade II status; Good Gardens Guide awards it a top-ranking two stars; the Michelin Green Guide gives it a top three stars; and the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Finder offers a rave review. We first visited in early March 2003, at a time when little was out except a few spring shrubs - it was beautiful then. In 2004 we were there in early April and were overwhelmed by the beauty and sheer amount of colour. Trewithen is essentially a spring garden but is quite unlike many others in Cornwall, not in a coastal valley or ravine but on a well sheltered level inland site of some 35 acres, planted by George Johnstone in the early 20th century and now immaculately maintained by the Galsworthys, who have added a number of features including a viewing platform and a magnolia fountain. Since our 2003 visit a valley with a series of ponds has been opened up, cherries and heathers have been planted and new herbaceous borders are planned. There is an informative half-hour video and the tea room serves delicious fresh cakes and pastries. Because the house tour is so interesting and so well done, we recommend that the best time to visit is on a Monday or Tuesday in April or May to enjoy both the house and the spring garden at its best.