Guided Garden Tour at St Ives

Day 1:  Arrival day: Your room will be available from 2.30pm onwards. Please join us for tea between 4pm and 5pm to meet the leader and your fellow guests. Before dinner there will be a brief introduction to the holiday programme.

Day 2: This morning we travel away from the coast to Trewithen Gardens near Truro, the home of some 24 Champion trees which are either the tallest or widest of their particular species. With woodland walks, wild flower meadows and magnificent magnolias, the gardens offer something for everyone.

We then visit Trebah Gardens which is a wonderful ravine garden of 26 acres descending to a private beach on the Helford river. This garden is an excellent example of how exotic plants thrive in Cornwall. The garden, which has enjoyed 150 years of inspired and dedicated creation, features lush exotic woodland glades, tranquil ponds and a plant collection to inspire at any time of the year.

Day 3: We travel today to England’s southernmost Lizard Peninsula to visit the Bonython Estate Gardens, remodelled in recent years to include a contemporary water feature behind the delightful Georgian manor. The three man-made lakes offer a wonderful setting for the interesting planting, including specimens from South Africa.

We spend the afternoon at the interesting National Trust gardens at Trengwainton, home of the Bolitho family for many generations.  This is a 25-acre garden with something to inspire around every corner, set around a colourful bordered stream which runs through the garden. The garden is famous for the restored walled garden and its unique sloping beds.

Day 4:  Today is dedicated to exploring the delights of the Eden Project which is created in a disused china clay pit and cost over £100 million to construct.  The main focal points are the two giant multi-domed, plastic-clad conservatories named the Biomes, each offering different climates and associated planting.  The Eden Project is currently the third most-visited tourist attraction in Britain, and its sheer scale warrants a full-day visit. 

Day 5: The day is free for you to explore the local area or to relax in the Country House

Day 6: Our journey today takes us to the Lost Gardens of Heligan.  It was in 1990 that Tim Smit (the creator of the Eden Project) started the arduous ten-year reclamation programme transforming the gardens at Heligan to their former glory.  The estate now extends to over 200 acres and work still continues.

Our afternoon is spent at Caerhays Castle, a 100-acre estate which is situated in a secluded valley overlooking Porthluny Beach.  Here we find the National Collection of Magnolias together with stunning rhododendrons and camellias.  Caerhays Castle still has many of the original specimens collected in China by the intrepid plant collectors of the early 20^th century.

Day 7:  To Falmouth where we will join the ferry boat for a cruise up the deepwater estuary of the River Fal to Trelissick Gardens, a large estate with woodland and riverside walks offering wonderful panoramic views.  The garden is on many levels with year-round colour and interest.

Our final afternoon of this holiday is spent at the private Lamorran Gardens, described as the “garden window onto the sea”.  It was voted in 2002 as one of the top 10 favourite gardens in the UK.  The garden is laid out in Mediterranean style with many streams, bridges and water features including a koi-pond and several ornate temples. 

Day 8:  Depart after breakfast