Thursday 29 March 2012

Spring gardens in the West Country…


Picture courtesy of Cornwall Wildlife Trust
The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. 
George Bernard Shaw 

My neighbour asked if he could use my lawnmower and I told him of course he could, so long as he didn't take it out of my garden. 
Eric Morecambe 

What’s your attitude to gardening? Are you a green-fingered enthusiast, happiest when potting and pruning, or do you prefer to admire someone else’s handiwork rather than get your own hands dirty?

Either way, you’re bound to find plenty to admire and to inspire you in the West Country this spring and summer, from grand National Trust gardens to beautiful parks and private gardens. And many of our holiday cottages also have exceptional gardens of their own!

It’s Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s 50th Anniversary this year and to celebrate, garden owners throughout Cornwall will be throwing open their doors and sharing their beautiful gardens with the public. From majestic estates to intimate cottage gardens, you can read more details here.

It’s also the 100th Cornwall Spring Flower Show this weekend. Held at Boconnoc Estate near Lostwithiel, the show features 156 competitive classes covering ten different categories: trees and shrubs, magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons, herbaceous and bulbs, pot plants, alpines, floral art, photography and children’s competitions.

Take a look at our new West Country Houses, Castles and Gardens mini brochure for some more ideas on places to visit and places to stay nearby.

If you’ve already booked a holiday with us,  you can browse our list of top 10 gardens and houses in our ‘What Shall We Do Today?’ guide. We’ve also lots of gardens and houses on our ‘Explore the Area’ website map, so be sure to use the ‘attractions’ and ‘events’ map filters to see what’s near your favourite cottage.

Many of the attractions host activities for children over the Easter holidays too – for example, families staying in a holiday cottage in Devon will be able to embark on a traditional Easter egg hunt around the grounds of Escot in Ottery St Mary, one of the county's best-loved estates.

Here’s a final bit of visual inspiration from Visit Cornwall to come and enjoy the stunning displays of spring flowers in this part of the world:


Call us on 01647 433593 and we’ll help you find the best cottage as a base for your West Country house, castle and garden trail.