We set off Monday 6th April to a forecast of wet weather. Oh dear! It is often a different pattern of weather on the Roseland Peninsula we consoled ourselves, as this is where we were going to stay.
We left the motorway at Exeter to deviate to Buckland Monochoram to visit the famous Garden House garden in Devon. This is very near the National Trust property of Buckland Abbey at one time home to Francis Drake. It was raining very heavily by the time we reached our gaol so we decided to have a cream tea to give the rain a chance to stop. It didn’t. Off we went armed with a golfing umbrella lent to us at the entrance. This is a magical garden divided into different areas built on the site of a mediaeval house. Even in the wet we were entranced by the spring flowers and emerging leaves on the trees. There are fine stands of magnolias too but looking a little forlorn in the rain. The erythroniums were breathtaking in a range of colours yellow, white and pinks. There was a wildflower area with 10,000 snake’s head fritillaries in pink and white, which had all been planted by hand. Primroses and scillas were everywhere in profusion. This is a garden for all seasons and we will be back.
On to Cornwall and St. Mawes. The rain had stopped by the time we arrived. We had to dry our anoraks and boots ready for the next day. Luckily I had a spare pair of boots as mine took two days to dry. The following day we went to Caerhayes Castle gardens. I had long wanted to go there and for many years it was open only on one or two days a year, now it opens for three months for the magnolia, rhododendron and azalea seasons. It was a glorious day, so hard to believe after the previous day. We actually ate our lunch in the garden. The magnolias were wonderful but suffered from the rain and a lot of blossom had fallen, the rhododendrons too were fabulous and the azaleas were just coming into flower. The early plant hunters brought many of the first seeds and plants here from China, Japan and the Himalayas and subsequent crosses were bred here. The whole area was under planted with primroses and narcissus. The castle and gardens overlook the sea in a very beautiful situation.
Next day was again glorious after a very stormy night with high winds and rain. We went to a relatively new Italianate garden called Lamorran above St. Mawes and built on the side of the hill overlooking the sea. A masterpiece of structural engineering the garden is a series of terraces, steps and stone paths with running water and pools throughout. The garden is protected from the wind by large trees and is virtually frost-free thus many subtropical plants and trees can be grown. We were fascinated by the tree ferns, these were not wrapped up in sacking but opening up. There was a beautiful scent in places, which we failed to trace to a particular plant. Fascinating to me was the koi carp pool as you entered into the garden. Again we were able to sit in the sun and admire the planting.
We crossed the Fal estuary on the King Harry ferry, a chain ferry, to lunch at the National Trust property of Trelissick, the former home of the Copeland family of pottery fame. This is a typical Cornish great house garden with views and vistas sweeping down to the sea and views across to Falmouth. The gardens had suffered from the harsh winter and were not so floriferous as usual but we were still able to admire the plantings ready for the flush of flowers as the weather improves.
Our last visit after returning to the peninsula was to the world famous St. Just in Roseland churchyard. The wild garlic and primroses were gorgeous as were the narcissus. This beautiful church and graveyard are in a small valley running down to the Fal estuary. As you enter the lych-gate you look to be level with the church tower. This place never ceases to entrance and I cannot imagine a visit to the area without a repeat visit.
We came home in rain all the way the next day.
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