Public Gardens

The Tamar Valley has long been a wonderful place for growing and gardening. Throughout the centuries, industrial processes and the cultivation of the soil have melded together to feed into the wealth of the area. With its situation and climate, the Tamar Valley has long provided the perfect environment for the growing of fruit and flowers, producing crops a week or two earlier than other parts of Cornwall. 

As you travel through the Tamar Valley on your next visit, you’ll pass steep, fertile, south facing slopes  that warm quickly in the sunshine; and moist plots and fields intersected by age-old lanes, footpaths and tracks. The sloping fields and deep valleys make perfect and rich market-garden country with a history to tell that is as interesting and diverse is the valley’s long, illustrious mining heritage. Today, as you explore the area by foot, cycle, car or train, you might notice evidence of the daffodil and strawberry cultivation of old. You might encounter gnarly old cherry trees, bent and split with age, or modern-day cider-apple orchards, their trees heavy with fruit. 

With all this lush, fertile loveliness in abundance, its no surprise that there are some wonderful public gardens to visit. Little sparkling gems of colour, scent and bird-song. From formal gardens manicured and polished, to traditional cottage gardens awash with roses, foxgloves and wisteria. Whatever your gardening style, there’ll be something to inspire creativity, or soothe away life’s humdrum routine.  Before you go, drop by our local garden nurseries and take a little piece of the Tamar Valley away with you for your own patch. A forever reminder of a simply perfect part of England.