stayseasuz

I have visited many stately homes in the United Kingdom, as I lived there for six years and return each year, usually in September. This year I am coming back for a visit in the beginning of May. I adore spring in the United Kingdom, it is so stunning. I would like to know what stately homes have the most beautiful springtime gardens, and I know that's not an easy question. I've been to Chatsworth, Blenheim, Castle Howard, Lanhydrock, Hampton Court, and many places in London. My husband and I will be in Lincoln for two weeks before heading southwest where we plan on staying in two/three different locations for the remaining seven nights of our visit. We've spent lots of time in Cornwall and Devon (Clovelly, Port Issac, Padstow, Tintagel, St. Ives, Polperro, Fowey, Dartmouth, Lost Gardens of Heligan) as we love it so much. I would go back to any of those places (and have!) but I want to visit some new places in Cornwall and Devon and possibly Dorset. And while I'm in the area, I'd love to visit some gardens and stately homes. So, I would love some recommendations for spectacular gardens, stately homes, and interesting and quaint new places to stay and explore. I have been looking at St. Mawes, Lyme Regis, Salcombe, and Mousehole, and am open to other suggestions for places to stay and homes/gardens to visit. Thank you so much!

nonconformist2

Trelissick is nice.

annhig

Hi Stayseasuz, nice to meet an enthusiast for the SW especially as I live there!

What strikes me is that you have not yet been much further west than Lanhydrock and St Mawes, so it would make sense to concentrate on the far SW from Truro down. My suggestion would be to pick just two bases my favourites for garden visitors being Falmouth and Penzance or St Ives. In reality you could spend a whole week in either and not run out of things to do but splitting it in two probably makes more sense. Highlights near Falmouth include NT gardens at Trelissick on the Fal river [reached by boat from Falmouth] and Glendurgan on the Helford from where you can do a very nice walk to Helford Passage [nice pub for lunch] and back if you are so inclined. Next door is the spectacular Trebah gardens which is definitely worth the trip. There are also the public gardens in Falmouth itself at Gyllyngdune just above Gyllyngvase Beach and there are a plethora of hotels, apartments, restaurants and cafes. Also boats to St Mawes, Flushing and round into the Helford itself as well as up the Fal to Trelissick .

As for Penzance, as well as the nearby NT garden Trengwainton is lovely in the spring, there are several gardens in Penzance itself, my favourite being the Penlee Gardens surrounding the Penlee gallery which specialised in the works of the Newlyn School and presently has an exhibition celebrating 25 years at the Gallery. https://www.penleehouse.org.uk Penzance itself also has a good range of hotels and some excellent restaurants, and is a lovely place for wandering around the streets where you will find many buildings with very surprising features.

Also nearby are the Trenmere Sculpture gardens [excellent cafe] and a bit further afield the Minack Theatre with its spectacular cliffside position and sub tropical gardens which are worth visiting even if you are not going to a performance. Minack Theatre

Do let me know if I can give you any further help.

stayseasuz

Thank you so much for your ideas! I've been to St. Ives twice and love it there, but would like to try someplace new- so maybe Falmouth this time. Or, would you recommend Mousehole or St. Mawes (have never been to either)?
I'm also consideriing St. Michaels Mount- I'd love to walk the causeway and I've read that the gardens there are pretty amazing. Again, thanks for taking the time to give me some ideas!

annhig

I deliberately didn't mention St Ives as it's not really a gardening destination and then I thought that I might have dropped a clanger by admitting. So I'm relieved that you've been there and don't have a hankering to go there again.

Falmouth really is a good base as it is central for lots of places - including St Mawes which is easy to reach by boat from Falmouth but a nightmare to get to by road. Staying there would be fine if you want to spend your whole week on the Roseland but a bit of a bore if you want to see rather more than that.

Similarly St Michael's Mount is a lovely place to visit but I wouldn't recommend staying in Marizion which is the village on the land side of the Causeway which leads to the Mount. I've been round the gardens [clambered would be a better word] but I think that was in late summer. I have no idea what they are like in Spring. I think that their opening times are rather more limited than the Mount itself so that's something to watch out for.

I still suggest Penzance as where to stay in that area - Mousehole is very pretty but Penzance has much more scope for wandering round in the evening, finding a nice restaurant or bar or something to do if it's wet. I must however mention a stand out restaurant in Mousehole, called simply No 2 Fore Street. Great food, lovely atmosphere and staff therefore reservations essential. [Actually that applies to most places now as covid may mean that there are days when they have to close or offer a reduced menu] https://www.2forestreet.co.uk I can definitely recommend the seafood curry.

And we shouldn't forget Newlyn - which has the largest fishing fleet in England and therefore a lot of fishy places including the crab kitchens where they cook crabs commercially in huge vats but have a few crabs and lobsters for retail in the shop, the fishmongers along the front which have terrific displays of fish, and https://tolcarneinn.co.uk/food-drink/#menus which is run by renowned chef Ben Tunnicliffe. Again reservations essential.

stayseasuz

Ooh, I'm so happy to get your guidance and I am a real foodie so I can't wait to check out the restaurants you've mentioned. I'll be spending the afternoon looking at all the places you've mentioned. I leave in two weeks, and can't wait to get back to my "other home". Thank you so much for taking the time to help me, I really appreciate it.