Cornwall


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trebah-nr-falmouth"><strong><a href="https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/">Trebah</a>, Nr Falmouth</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge-1000x667.jpeg" alt="Trebah Garden man and girl on bridge" class="wp-image-33512" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/04/Trebah-Garden-family-on-a-bridge.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Named one of the Great Gardens of Cornwall and rated among the eighty finest gardens in the UK, Trebah Garden is the cumulative result of almost two hundred years of horticultural endeavour. Spread across twenty-six acres and with over four miles of winding footpaths that take visitors through exotic plants down to the private&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/beach">Polgwidden Cove</a>&nbsp;on the idyllic Helford River, this sub-tropical paradise is awash with colourful blooms, towering palms, and giant canopies. In May 2023, the Trebah Garden Trust unveiled a new walled area named The Court Garden to mark 30 years of the Trust. The Court Garden offers visitors a diverse range of plants and flowers, all chosen by Head Gardener <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/darren-dickey-head-gardener-trebah-cornwall/">Darren Dickey</a> and the Trust’s Garden Committee, not only to encourage pollinators but also to engage with the senses. This formally planned area provides an accessible space for everyone to enjoy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cotehele-st-dominick-callington"><strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cotehele (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cotehele" target="_blank">Cotehele</a>, St Dominick, Callington</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden-1000x667.jpg" alt="Cotehele terraced garden" class="wp-image-26938" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden-788x525.jpg 788w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/05/Cotehele-Terraced-Garden.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s lots to be inspired by at Cotehele, with 14 acres of gardens and 12 acres of orchards, but it is the terraced garden above, which borders the tudor house to the east, looking over to the viaduct towards Calstock, that we liked the most. The terraced herbaceous borders are planted with a seasonal mix of hydrangeas, roses, geraniums, irises, salvia,&nbsp;<em>Centaurea Monatana and Centaurea Montana Alba&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>Veronicastrum</em> &#8211; they are just coming into their summer bloom and the foxgloves are looking particularly fine. Later in the summer look out for the cut flower garden, where the team grow the blooms for the 60ft-long flower garland usually on display in the Great Hall at Christmas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eden-project-bodelva-par"><strong><a href="https://www.edenproject.com/visit/things-to-do/pollinator-pathmaker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Eden Project (opens in a new tab)">Eden Project</a>, Bodelva, Par</strong></h2>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Pollinator Pathmaker living artwork by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg at Eden Project" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IN3YzdziqBY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Forget the biomes, we&#8217;re heading straight to check up on the &#8220;<a aria-label="Pollinator Pathmaker (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.edenproject.com/visit/things-to-do/pollinator-pathmaker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pollinator Pathmaker</a>&#8220;, a permanent 55-metre-long living artwork by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg that explores the vital role of pollinators &#8211; and it is coming into full bloom this month. The seeds for this unique artwork were planted in Autumn 2022 and updated over the most recent winter; the work has sprouted and blossomed over the intervening months, ready for both the ‘human’ public and pollinating species &#8211; including bees, moths, beetles, and wasps &#8211; to engage with and enjoy. All our gardens could do with encouraging more pollinators, so we are looking forward to bee-ing (sorry) inspired by the 64 plant species in situ.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lost-gardens-of-heligan-pentewan-st-austell"><strong><a href="https://www.heligan.com">Lost Gardens of Heligan</a>, Pentewan, St Austell</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/GG-Heligan-Gate-to-the-Scented-Garden.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-26446" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/GG-Heligan-Gate-to-the-Scented-Garden.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/GG-Heligan-Gate-to-the-Scented-Garden-800x534.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/GG-Heligan-Gate-to-the-Scented-Garden-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/04/GG-Heligan-Gate-to-the-Scented-Garden-787x525.jpeg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The gates above lead to the scented garden, part of Heligan’s ‘Pleasure Grounds’ &#8211; an unusual range of romantic structures and unexpected features linked by historic pathways. Look out for the sundial garden too, with what was noted in 1896 to have the “finest herbaceous border in Britain” and once again bursting with heritage blooms. For more practical ideas head to the Productive Gardens which include the kitchen garden, walled flower garden and the melon yard (which also houses pineapples and the potting shed of dreams). Your allotment will never look the same again!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-barbara-hepworth-sculpture-garden-st-ives"><strong><a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives/barbara-hepworth-museum-and-sculpture-garden">Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden</a>, St Ives</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="480" src="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden-720x480.png" alt="" class="wp-image-24647" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden-720x480.png 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden-300x200.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden-768x512.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden-787x525.png 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/10/Barbara-Hepworth-Garden.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure>



<p>Go for the sculptures but stay for the planting in the gardens and greenhouse. During Hepworth’s life time this was a working garden and a lot of the planting is as she designed it. The garden team has worked from archival photos to reintroduce the same form and foliage that Hepworth had originally planted, in particular the Cineraria plant for harmonised colour which was present in the 70s, but has over the decades since gradually disappeared. A relatively small space, but bursting with separate areas and interest, the high white walls, workshop, sculptures and multiple water features provide endless inspiration for our own spaces as well as a contemplative place to enjoy in all seasons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-duchy-of-cornwall-nursery-nr-lostwithiel"><strong><a href="https://duchyofcornwallnursery.Co.uk">Duchy of Cornwall Nursery</a>, Nr Lostwithiel</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22301" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/03/Bumblebee-garden-1-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Call us biased, because the Bee Garden is where we’ve previously held our Muddy Award drinks, but we love the Duchy Nursery for garden inspiration. It doesn’t just sell plants, although of course it does that too, exceeding well, but from the lavender and the trees out front to the rose and dahlias in the bee garden, the planting here is both beautiful and inspiring. Nurseries often seem like they cater for large gardens only but here there is just as much inspiration  if you only have a small space too, as the team manage to fill every corner and barrow and tub with interesting and sustainable ideas, designed for the Cornish climate. The glasshouse is also full of houseplants and we defy you to leave without at least one new plant in your boot.  </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-or-check-out-one-of-cornwall-s-open-gardens">Or, check out one of Cornwall’s Open Gardens</h2>
</blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-500x500.jpeg" alt="Patrick Gale Garden" class="wp-image-25994" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-500x500.jpeg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-525x525.jpeg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden-200x200.jpeg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/02/Patrick-Gale-garden.jpeg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure>



<p>All over Cornwall, <a href="https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden-list?search_bounds=50.76986853367002,-4.085593019471052,49.28611346632998,-6.395342980528948&amp;sort_by=By%20opening%20date&amp;filter%5Bdays_open%5D=all&amp;filter%5Bopening_type%5D=opening&amp;filter%5Bgeo_bounding_box%5D=50.76986853367002,-4.085593019471052,49.28611346632998,-6.395342980528948">private gardens open</a> for charity across the summer months. Last year over £3m was raised and you can use the opportunity to sneak a peek at some of Cornwall’s finest &#8211; like author <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/my-fave-places-patrick-gale-author-cornwall/">Patrick Gale</a>&#8216;s garden at Trevilley, West Penwith, which is probably Cornwall&#8217;s westernmost walled rose garden. </p>



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6 Cornish gardens to inspire your own outside space

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