Spring Gardens of Cornwall

Departing: March 2027 - March 2027

Cornwall’s gardens are renowned the world over and our tour includes visits to some of the finest in the county. Spring comes early here, as trees, shrubs and bulbs bring life and colour back to the gardens. The near neighbours of Trebah and Glendurgan illustrate this perfectly, with the great Asiatic shrubs of rhododendron, magnolia and camellia all featuring, rich with blossom. The award-winning Lost Gardens of Heligan continue to fascinate, while over at the Eden Project, things have come a long way since that disused chalk pit was transformed into a futuristic microcosm of botanical diversity. If you haven’t been for a while then it’s time to revisit; if you’ve never been before you’re in for a treat! Our tour is bookended with visits to two top-class National Trust properties at Knightshayes Court and Killerton, where historic houses provide an extra dimension to your garden visits.

Included

Explore the Eden Project & Knightshayes Court, with entrance fees included
All other visits as outlined in the itinerary
Professional Tour Manager
3 nights at the Pentire Hotel, Newquay
3 breakfasts & 3 dinners
Private air-conditioned coach travel

Highlights

Gothic Revival style at Knightshayes Court
The continually evolving marvel that is the Eden Project
Masses of rhododendrons in full flower
Negotiating the hedge maze at Glendurgan
Seaside hotel in Newquay with its views over the Atlantic

Michael Gill

Michael Gill is a proud Cornishman who has led tours across the UK and Europe. With a particular passion for Andalucia, Normandy, Wales and Cornwall, he is known for his knowledge, enthusiasm and thoughtful approach, bringing destinations to life and ensuring guests feel well looked after.

Tour Itinerary

We depart from our designated pick-up points by coach and travel to Knightshayes Court, an exceptional example of the Gothic Revival country house. The extraordinary 'medieval romantic' interiors provide a captivating glimpse into grand country living, while the celebrated garden features a water lily pool, topiary, specimen trees, rare shrubs, seasonal blooms and an impressive Victorian kitchen garden that supplies fresh, organic produce to the property’s restaurant. Lunch is available here at your leisure. Following this, we proceed to our comfortable accommodation at the Pentire Hotel, situated just a short distance from Fistral Beach and offering breathtaking coastal views of the Atlantic.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Pentire Hotel

After breakfast, we travel to St Austell to visit the Eden Project, which has become one of Cornwall’s star attractions since its opening in 2001. The Eden Project is a reclaimed 50-metre deep, 34-acre china clay pit transformed into two controlled-environment plant conservatories. The larger conservatory replicates the tropical climate and showcases plants such as cotton, rice, rubber, orchids, bamboo and rainforest flowers. At its highest point, it reaches 50 metres, taller than Nelson’s Column.

Next, we proceed to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. These award-winning gardens, dormant for over seventy years, underwent Europe’s largest garden restoration project. In spring 1991, the Gardens of Heligan were buried under brambles, ivy, rampant laurel and fallen timber. A year later, the restoration team opened the gardens, inviting the public to share in the thrill of their rediscovery. This season marks the reawakening of Heligan’s remarkable collection of historic shrubs, including their National Collection of camellias and rhododendrons.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Pentire Hotel

Following breakfast, we depart for a visit to Trebah, a wild and colourful Cornish garden with something for everyone. The garden was laid out originally in the 1840s and flourished to become one of England's great gardens by the 1930s. After the death of the previous owner, the garden was sadly neglected for many years until it was taken over by the Hibbert family, who still run it today. See the Rhododendron Valley, a huge amphitheatre of sixty-foot-high rhododendrons, many of which were imported as seed in the 1890s. It was here that rare Chinese palm trees, giant ferns and a host of other exotic plants were discovered a few years ago when some of the rhododendrons were cut back.

We then continue to Glendurgan, a place of great beauty and tranquillity. Three valleys converge and drop towards the sparkling waters of the Helford River and the hamlet and beach at Durgan. The garden has many fine trees, rare and exotic plants from the four corners of the globe, and at this time of year, outstanding spring displays of magnolias and camellias. Look out too for the hedge maze, originally built by the owners in the 1830s to entertain their 12 children.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Pentire Hotel

After checking out of the hotel, we head home, stopping along the way at the gardens of Killerton. The house showcases a magnificent collection of 18th to 20th century costumes displayed in period rooms (originally known as the Paulise de Bush collection). The estate is situated on a steep wooded hillside, topped by the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. The gardens are home to countless trees and shrubs, including rhododendrons and magnolias, which should be in full bloom. A masterfully designed rock garden in an old quarry sparkles among mossy rocks, under a canopy of mature camellias and maples.

Meals: Breakfast

Availability & Booking

2027

19th March from $1,115

Call to Book

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