Origins of Cornwall’s top gardens are revealed

Athwenna Irons explores a new project which shines a light on the county’s colourful horticultural history

ACOLLECTION of untold stories from some of Cornwall’s most spectacular gardens has been published online for the first time.

The Great Gardens of Cornwall’s new storytelling campaign is entitled Behind The Gardens.

The organisation, which promotes 14 gardens around the county, has posted a series of article on its website which reveal the attractions’ historical origins.

The GGOC says Behind The Gardens is a nod to history and the big personalities who have shaped the evolution of each garden, and aims to celebrate the individuality and horticultural journey of each of garden in the hope that people will read, retell and share these stories with others.

So far stories have been posted about the Spring Gardens at Caerhays Castle, Trebah, the Minack Theatre garden, Trewidden, Tregothnan, the Bonython estate’s gardens, Tregrehan, Lamorran House’s gardens, Trewithen Garden, Antony Woodland Garden and Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, with more yet to come from Tresco Abbey Garden in the Scilly Isles, the

Lost Gardens

Eden Project.

Among the nuggets revealed to date are that the woodlands of Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, overlooking St Michael’s Mount, were the hiding place of the last wolf in England, a giant beast reportedly killed at nearby Rospeath in 1794.

During the Second World War Trebah, near Falmouth, was a key military location in the run-up to D-day, hosting more than 7,500 United States infantry who embarked there on their way to the landings at Omaha Beach.

Charles Williams, owner of the Caerhays estate near St Austell, said: “This is a staggering undertaking for the Great Gardens of Cornwall, but the compelling nature of the stories we have uncovered so far has made it worth the effort.

“Making these wonderful origin stories available for the plant-loving public is such a special thing to do.

“The Great Gardens of Cornwall are granting total behind-the-scenes access to their unique heritage and culture.”

The stories can be read at www. greatgardensofcornwall. co. uk/ behind-the-gardens of

Heligan and the

⨠ Charles Williams MP and his wife Mary, who owned Caerhays Castle from 1939 to 1955. The estate’s Spring Gardens are part of the Great Gardens of Cornwall (GGOC), a group of 14 of the most historically and horticulturally important gardens in the county. A collection of untold stories about them is now online

⨠ Rowena Cade, creator of The Minack Theatre in Porthcurno. Right, some of the Great Gardens of Cornwall team: from left, Lucinda Rimmington, Charles Williams, Kitty Galsworthy, James Stephens, Robert and Maria-antonietta Dudley-cooke and Sue Nathan The Minack/great Gardens of Cornwall

⨠ Trewithen Garden, near Grampound Road