Trewidden Garden

Trewidden is a classic west Cornwall woodland garden, and its stand-out feature is the Tree Fern Dell. Thomas Bedford Bolitho planted an old opencast tin mine with tree ferns imported from Australia, and the result has been described as the best stand of tree ferns in the northern hemisphere. Walking among the arching fronds feels very far from the rest of Britain.

Away from the dell, the garden is a sheltered woodland setting with camellias and magnolias, the plants that make Cornish gardens so special in spring. The mild climate near Land's End allows tender plants to thrive, and the mix of tree ferns, flowering shrubs and old trees gives a different mood in each part of the walk. The garden has opened for the National Garden Scheme, a sign that the owners welcome keen gardeners.

For gardeners, Trewidden shows how a difficult piece of ground, in this case an old mine pit, can become the best part of a garden when the right plants are chosen. Tree ferns need shelter and moisture, and the dell provides both. If you grow tree ferns at home, look at how they are spaced and how the canopy above keeps them shaded and damp. Camellias and magnolias, too, show how evergreen and deciduous shrubs can be mixed to give both winter shelter and spring colour. Sturdy shoes help on damp paths.