I was intending to get out and visit some of the marvellous British Gardens the public can visit this summer. However, with the Coronavirus and the resulting restrictions, this has obviously proved impossible. Therefore, I thought I would write about a garden my wife and I visited last Summer – Trewidden, near Penzance, in Cornwall.

Trewidden House is a apparently a Grade II manor house (and it shows), in which the tearoom is located – always an important aspect of any garden – with a lawned garden next door to enjoy your tipple.

It also has one of England’s best collections of magnolias and rhododendrons. This is along with a collection of over 300 camellias, which, the website tells me has led to Trewidden being awarded ‘International Camelia Garden of excellence’ status.

However, given that we were visiting in August 2019, these plants weren’t the reason for my visit. What I love are tree ferns and there is not doubt that the gardens had the finest stands of Dicksonia antarctica I have ever seen (except perhaps the trees ferns in Glasgow Botanic Gardens, but these are indoors).

It seems that this has something to do with being set within ancient mine workings and I have seen this before in other gardens successfully using what, at first sight, might look like an unpromising environment.

Whatever the reasons, they are magnificent as I hope my photos show. There is an truly primordial feel to the grove, but, since these behemoths self-seed (is that the correct term, given that they reproduce using spores?), it is clear that they love the modern climate of Cornwall. In fact, they are worth seeing, regardless of the excellence of the rest of the garden.

In fact, the website also points out that many Cornish gardens are linear – running down a stream, drive or coastal valley. However, Trewidden Garden is very different, being almost square, with a maze of paths meandering through it. Within the gardens, there are several ponds a restored walled garden, a rock garden with a collection of Erythroniums and the Tree Fern Dell I have already referred to.

My recommendation? Trewidden is well worth a visit if you are in the areas. There is an admission charge.