As spring unfolds, these gardens come to life, revealing a mix of vibrant colour and sweet scents, while becoming a haven for our pollinators and wildlife. Brits love their gardens, with the average person thought to spend around 114 hours annually on their own garden at home. When it comes to visiting public gardens, though, it gives us a chance to unwind and escape into an entirely different world.

Pencarrow House and Gardens presents a perfect mix of traditional English and rich European landscaping. Directly at the front of the grand house lies the sunken Italian garden, featuring a stunning quatrefoil fountain. To its left is the very first Victorian rock garden in England, built by Sir William Molesworth, with the great slabs of granite being carted along by farmers from Bodmin Moor. 

Sir William Molesworth built the gardens, with head gardener Thomas Corbett, between 1831 and 1855, offering a glimpse into the minds of various botanical explorers that he admired. The Araucaria Araucana, also known as the ‘Monkey Puzzle’ tree, was purchased by Sir William for 20 guineas. The trees originate in South America, and can reach heights of around 100ft! It inherited the name ‘Monkey Puzzle’ at Pencarrow, after a friend of Sir William’s, Charles Austin, barrister, noted: ‘It would puzzle a monkey to climb that’. 

Pencarrow is also home to a vast, beautiful woodland. The trails lead from the house, winding around a great lake and passing farmland, offering a tranquil view over the Cornish countryside. Snowdrops welcome the new season at Pencarrow each year, and are celebrated with Pencarrow’s annual Snowdrop Weekend in February. As spring continues, visitors witness the unfurling beauty of the gardens, with several hundred varieties of rhododendron and hydrangeas, magnolia and other spring blooms making an appearance. 

On Monday, 14th April, Pencarrow will open the gardens for the National Garden Scheme, where entrance fees will be donated to the NGS, supporting charities such as Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice UK; while on Sunday, 4th May, Pencarrow will hold the annual Bluebell and Wild Garlic Sunday, presenting a wonderful opportunity to walk in the gardens and breathe in those distinct smells that are the epitome of spring. 

Pencarrow House, cafe and shop reopens to the public on Monday, 7th April.

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