Gardens of Cornwall

Red flower clipart
Spectacular shows almost all year round

Cornwall is well known for its spectacular gardens. For every garden, thereโ€™s a story, from the painstaking restoration of theย Lost Gardens of Heliganย to pioneering work in conservation and education at theย Eden Project.ย Both of these gardens are only a short drive away from Bosinver and well worth a visit all year round.


Thanks to the countyโ€™s milder climate, plants that struggle elsewhere in the country flourish here. Many of the gardens in Cornwall are actually part of the legacy of the mining industry: horticulture was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and wealthy mining families financed plant hunting expeditions across the globe. These expeditions brought back samples of exotic plants like rhododendrons (from India) and tree ferns (from New Zealand), and many more.

Most of them are at their best in April, May and early June, with spectacular shows of magnolias, camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. Cornwallโ€™s often quieter then, so take advantage of lower priced breaks and be prepared for some breathtaking displays of colour.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagisseyย PL26 6EN โ€“ Heliganโ€™s award-winning historical restoration offers over 200 acres for exploration, including the Mud Maid, sub-tropical jungle with tree ferns and a pioneering wildlife project. Thereโ€™s also a cafรฉ serving great food, using much of Heliganโ€™s own produce. Open every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The Eden Project, Bodelva near St Austell PL24 2SG โ€“ the iconic visitor destination nestled in a huge China Clay crater. Massive Biomes house the largest rainforest in captivity, and stunning plants, exhibitions and stories serve as a backdrop to striking contemporary gardens, summer concerts and exciting year-round family events.

Pinetum Gardens, St Austell 10 gardens in one over 30 acres, including a water garden, courtyard, cottage, sunken and Japanese gardens. Open all year (except 24th-26th Dec), dogs welcome.

Trewithen Gardens, Grampound Road, Probus TR2 4DD โ€“ with its unique collection of tender and rare plants this garden is at itโ€™s very best in spring and early summer. Includes a walled garden with a lily pond and summerhouse and a former quarry which is now a rock garden. Cafรฉ on site. Open Mon โ€“ Sat (March to June)

Caerhays Estate Gardens, Porthluney PL26 6LY โ€“ The estate is world famous for the magnificent camellias and rhododendrons which transform the gardens in spring. Also home to the National Magnolia Collection. Tea rooms. Gardens open 10am-5pm every day mid Feb to mid June.

Lamorran House Gardens, St Mawes TR2 5BZ โ€“ 4 acre sub tropical garden on a hillside with fantastic views to St Anthonyโ€™s Headland and the sea. Water gardens are in Mediterranean and Japanese settings where palm trees abound with an extensive collection of rhododendrons, azaleas peaking in May. Open April โ€“ Sept NB Difficult for disabled in view of incline.

Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, TR11 5JZ โ€“ a delightful garden on the Helford river with its own private beach. Cafรฉ at the beach during main season and all year round at the Visitorsโ€™ Centre. Open every day from 10am (last entry 3:30pm).

There are also numerousย National Gardens Schemeย gardens open for charity in Cornwall include the delightful bluebell woods atย Enysย near Penryn TR10 9LB (best visited in April/May)

There are also several impressive National Trust gardens in Cornwall which are well worth a visit:

Trelissick Gardensย Feock, near Truro TR3 6QL โ€“ a peaceful and varied garden in a fabulous position. Throughout the year, this 30 acre garden is awash with colour, while the parkland has breath-taking views down towards the sea. The estate is surrounded by woodland and full of wonderful walks โ€“ we have writtenย numerous blog posts about the wonders of Trelissick!

Lanhydrockย near Bodmin PL30 5AD โ€“ a magnificent late Victorian country house with extensive servantsโ€™ quarters, wonderful gardens and a wooded estate. It has a delightful collection of magnolias, camellias and rhodedendrons, although the garden is full of colour all year around. You can also follow numerous paths through the woods and parkland down to the river Fowey and they now have cycle trails โ€“ seeย our Lanhydrock cycling blog post.

Glendurgan Gardenย Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth TR11 5JZ โ€“ a wonderful subtropical garden, with special interest for families. Glendurgan is a place of great beauty and tranquillity. Three valleys converge and drop down towards the beach on the Helford river. Itโ€™s a magical place for children, with the laurel maze, the giantโ€™s stride (rope swing) and the beach โ€“ see ourย Glendurgan blog post.

St Michaelโ€™s Mount, Nr Penzance TR17 0HT โ€“ a jewel in Cornwallโ€™s crown and each year thousands of visitors flock to this ancient landmark to marvel at its beauty. The buildings date back to the 12th century when there was first a priory, then a fortress, a place of pilgrimage and finally a private home of the St Aubyn family in 1659. In 1954, the family went into partnership with the National Trust and the castle and its grounds were opened to the public. The Mount is home to several residents, has its own harbour, sub-tropical gardens, cafรฉs and gift shops. You can walk across to the Mount along the โ€˜giantโ€™s causewayโ€™ at low tide โ€“ see ourย St Michaels Mount blog post.

Close up of a white flower with green foliage in the background at Bosinver.
A beautiful part
of Cornish history

The wealth from the booming tin industry started a wave of luxurious exotic travel bringing back beautiful horticultural specimens to create the stunning gardens found across Cornwall today.ย 

We include up to a whopping ยฃ475* of Extras in your holiday!


Your young family holidays will be some of the most special you take. To make sure you get great value from your break at Bosinver, we include a whopping ยฃ475 worth of activities and facilities within the price of your holiday. So once you arrive youโ€™ll know that you can relax and enjoy the time you spend with us without worrying about additional costs.


*When compared to similar venues that charge extra for activities, facilities and equipment.

Red cow with a red heart clipart

The very latest from the bosinver team


Action Nan and the rest of the team are always busy writing posts that we think you’ll like – from top tips on where to take the kids, to what’s likely to be going on in the local area when you stay – we’ve got it all in our blog!