Daffodils and Camelias
Visiting the garden in early April, the surprise of walking through carpets of cream and yellow daffodils is exciting. They are all late flowering daffodils, so April is the time to enjoy their beauty. The trees in the wood are just starting to come out into their fresh lime green leaves and in the spring light the colours are amazing. The hundreds of Camellias which were planted in 2001 are now large enough to give an exciting display at this time of year.
Blue bells
The estate has many woods, some ancient, but many needing replanting. The trees are actually far older than they look, being stunted by the strength of prevailing winds. Priority for the garden was to rebuild the shelter belts and in 2004, fifteen thousand trees were planted to increase protection around the garden and Manor. The long term goal of this planting is a mixed deciduous hardwood, predominantly Oak and Beech, but whilst the slower trees are growing, they are protected by quicker varieties which will be later thinned, including, Italian & English Alders, Sitka Spruce, Field Maples, Sycamore and Ash. Due to the Cornish climate and excellent soil, many of the trees are now over 20ft tall and growing!.
As brambles have been cleared on the fringes of the garden, millions of traditional Cornish bluebells reappear and make a wonderful display in May. Whilst many consider wild garlic a pest, the combination and contrast is, for the short time of flowering, such a magnificent display as to place nature as creator, firmly ahead of manmade gardens!
Magnolias
This of course is the time for magnificent Magnolia trees. The Estate has planted some very good specimens - the famous J.C. Williams, and the Magnolia Lanarth, which both have the most extraordinary deep, magenta colour - a sight well worth seeing. Every year the estate plants 2 or 3 new specimen varieties of Magnolias to increase on the number of these beautiful trees.
Spring colour in the garden from April to the end of May, from the start of the Daffodils, Cammellias, Magnolias, Bluebells, Rhododendrons, Azaleas and foliage is a photographers dream. However, unlike many Cornish gardens dramatic colour continues through summer and into autumn.
