We are immensely proud that our 30-acre woodland garden at Burncoose Estate has been featured in Tim Hubbard’s latest book ‘Secret Gardens Of Cornwall: A Private Tour’! Tim Hubbard is an award-winning former BBC presenter and journalist, who has spent over 40 years living in Cornwall.
The book features 20 stunning gardens across our beautiful county. Highlighting the best horticultural gardens in Cornwall, key insights on when and where to visit, and celebrating the diversity on offer – including coastal woodlands, country estates and subtropical valleys – it’s a must-have for any garden explorer.
Here are Tim’s insights after exploring our estate’s historic grounds:
“Hiding in plain sight” adjacent to its Nursery namesake, the thirty acres of Burncoose House and Gardens is a true Secret Garden of Cornwall. Members of the Williams family have a long and distinguished history of horticulture (as well, obviously, of mining) in Cornwall and their legacy surrounds you as you walk amongst its treasures. There are unique single specimens, some descended from seeds and plant material brought back from Asia by Victorian plant hunters, as well as wooded landscapes and rural views.
In late winter extraordinary, primeval looking magnolia flowers blooming on bare branches look spectacular against a crisp blue sky. Later in spring, carpets of bluebells, primroses and wild violets lie underfoot – perfect for romantic photographs of the weddings which can be held in the house itself. Even later in the year, in the summer and autumn, there is colour and interest including banks of hydrangeas flowering blue, mauve and purple in the garden’s acidic soils.
Other “Secret Gardens of Cornwall” may boast coastal views and architectural tender palms and succulents but Burncoose House and Garden remains a perfect example of a traditional Cornish estate garden with some wonderful secrets of its own waiting to be discovered completely free of charge. I love it.
To purchase a copy of this wonderful celebration of some of the finest gardens in Cornwall, click here.
Or, come and explore our gardens and see the magical seasons for yourself! Open all year round and free to visit, visiting in person only makes Tim’s words even more special!
