Visiting a garden while on a Cornish break may seem like the proverbial busman’s holiday but Tremenheere proved very different to the gardens I usually see.
From the outset, it was obvious this garden near Penzance had the sort of planting palette I rarely encounter in the Cotswolds.
(I had just a phone so the photos aren’t up to my usual standard. This was supposed to be a break!)
Huge gunnera and swathes of bamboo were just some of the tropical style planting that characterises this 22-acre garden. Set into a valley in the much milder Cornish climate, it has the sort of conditions that mean exotic and sub-tropical plants thrive.
The garden is home to ferns of all sorts, including tree ferns, as well as bamboo, schefflera, and yucca to name but a few. These are mixed with more commonly grown hydrangreas, rhododendrons and magnolia along with a shelter belt of trees, such as pine, evergreen oak and sycamore.
A series of paths wind up the valley to the highest points, a meandering journey that takes visitors through different ‘areas’ with contrasting styles ranging from lush waterside to a path edged by palms. A natural stream runs through the bottom with several large pools.
While this natural water source has helped mitigate some of the summer’s drought, the garden is suffering, as I found out by chatting with one of the garden team.
Rhododendrons under established sycamore have been particularly badly hit and there may have to be a rethink on planting. In general though, the style of planting is more suited to the extreme heat than more typically English borders. Possibly something for more of us to consider though winter temperatures could be too low in much of the country.
Vistas were framed by large leaves with bright spots of colour from crocosmia – something that has naturalised into many Cornish hedgerows.
There were huge bananas that are obviously left out over winter, something that is challenging where I live.
As well as being a showcase for a different style of planting, Tremenheere is also a sculpture garden and there were pieces of artwork woven through the entire space.
Some were very obvious, such as this piece by Vong Phaophanit.
Others were more part of the landscape, including a piece by Aimee Lax that reminded me of boat chain wrapped around a tree, and a ‘house’ by Richard Woods that sat naturally in the garden.
Some pieces were almost hidden by the planting, such as Revaylor by Tom Leaper
David Nash creates art from trees and his ‘Black Mound’ was a tactile piece created with chainsaw and blow torch.
My favourite is one of a couple of ‘Silent Space‘ areas in the garden – these are designed to be places for quiet contemplation. ‘Tewlwolow Kernow’ by James Turrell is part of his Skyspace series. From the outside, it appears to be a large, circular, stone block but go through the narrow entrance and you reach a sculpted space with a domed ceiling and oval opening. Sitting in there, watching clouds pass overhead, was incredibly peaceful.
Tremenheere had some evidence of January’s terrible storm when Cornwall had a rare red weather warning and the area lost many trees. There were signs of recently cleared trees but older losses are being put to good use. I really liked the way trunks were left and were being used as habitat for both wildlife and plants.
Yet, interesting though the sculpture was, it was the plants that drew me. Sometimes they were not that unusual, such as aeoniums, until you realised they were growing permanently outside!
I grow echeveria in a pot and take it indoors over winter. In Tremenhere, it edges some steps.
There were a couple of things that particularly caught my eye. This flower-covered tree with beautiful bark is the Chilean myrtle. Luma apiculata is evergreen and the scented flowers are followed by dark berries.
We also saw the most enormous honeysuckle over the outside of one of the many summerhouses and other places designed to sit and look. Lonicera hildebrandiana, the giant Burmese honeysuckle, is evergreen in the right climate but borderline hardy, surviving cold but not frost. It’s obviously thriving in Cornwall.
Plants and sculptures aside, possibly the best bit of Tremenheere is the views. Make the climb up to the top and you can can see St Michael’s Mount and the Cornish coastline. It’s a large garden – the guide suggests allowing 90 minutes to see it all – and, adding in several stops to just sit and look, meant we were there for several hours, including lunch at the excellent cafe/restaurant.
Tremenheere says that its guiding principle is “to evolve a naturalistic, Arcadian space that blends elements of landscape planting and art to create a place for contemplation and wonder.” It has succeeded.
For more details, see the website.
Enjoyed this? You can read about more of my garden visits here.
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