coach tours gardens of cornwall

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Gardens of Cornwall Tour

4 nights starting from £1499

We have a handy rating for each tour to let you know how strenuous it maybe.

Gentle : Some walking between sites and standing for viewing, good flat walking surfaces.

Moderate: Walking between sites, lots of standing for viewing.

Demanding:  On your feet all day, uneven terrain (e.g. cobbles)

For more detail refer to our mobility page below.

The Jungle - Lost Gardens of Heligan

Trebah Gardens

Mud Maiden - Lost Gardens of Heligan

Caerhays Castle

Azolla Pool at Trebah

Square garden

Eden Project

Looking Out To Sea Over Mallard Pond - Trebah

Interior biome, Eden Project

Looking Out To Sea Over Mallard Pond

View from Trelissick

Giant Bee at The Eden Project

Guided Tour Caerhays Castle

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Colour at Caerhays Castle

Dinky's Puddle from Beach Path - Trebah

Hydrangea Valley from Healey's Hill - Trebah

The astonishing Eden Project

Coastal Caerhays Castle

The magical Lost Gardens of Heligan

Stunning Trebah Garden

Based at the excellent Alverton Hotel

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Our garden tours have been proving more and more popular and a new addition for 2024 is this stunning new tour to England’s extreme south west and the gorgeous county of Cornwall. A stunning array of gardens in a variety of styles with the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean make this four-night tour unmissable, with plant expert, garden enthusiast and genial host, David Hurrion on hand throughout to lend his considerable expertise to the visits. Highlights include the famous, such as the other-worldly Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan and the not so well known, but equally stunning and inspiring, such as Trebah, Trewithen, Trelissiick, Penjerrick and Marsh Villa.

How many passengers in your party?

Day 1: Arrive Independently at the Alverton Hotel from 15:00 This evening there will be a welcome reception, private dinner with wine and talk by David Hurrion.

Day 2: Marsh Villa and the Eden Project Our first visit on this inspiring tour is to the Marsh Villa Gardens, a magical three-acre water and woodland garden, which lies in a former tidal creek and is rich in variety and conservation significance. From here to the extraordinary Eden Project, opened in 2001 and described by The Guardian as “a mind-boggling feat of architecture and biological engineering”. Its eye-catching “Biomes” house one of the world’s largest indoor rainforests and a Mediterranean garden with cacti, gnarled olive trees, fruits and herbs.  Plenty of time for lunch (not included) and to explore will be allowed here before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Caerhays Castle Our day begins with a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. These award-winning gardens, asleep for more than seventy years, are the scene of the largest garden restoration project in Europe. In the spring of 1991, the Gardens of Heligan lay under a blanket of bramble, ivy, rampant laurel and fallen timber. A year later the restoration team opened the gardens to enable the public to share in the excitement of their discovery, which thousands have been doing ever since. Time for lunch here (not included) before heading to the Caerhays Estate, bordered by the Southwest Coastal Path. Caerhays has an international reputation for camellias and rhododendrons and is home to a world-famous National Magnolia Collection, whilst the castle itself was designed by renowned architect, John Nash around 200 years ago and both the building and its occupants have played significant roles in the history of Cornwall. We enjoy a guided tour of the gardens. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Trebah Garden and Penjerrick Garden Two splendid gardens on the agenda today, starting with Trebah - a wild and colourful Cornish garden with something for everyone. When the tour was being planned, David Hurrion simply described this garden as “wow – just wow!”, high praise indeed from someone who has visited literally thousands of gardens in his time. The garden was laid out originally in the 1840s and flourished to become one of England’s great gardens by the 1930s. The garden was sadly neglected for many years following the death of the original owner, until it was taken over by the Hibbert family, who still run it today. Wander down  the “Zig-Zag”, a slope where a rare collection of exotic Mediterranean plants was recently planted. You will also see Rhododendron Valley, a huge amphitheatre of sixty-foot-high rhododendrons, many of which were imported as seed in the 1890s. Time for lunch here (not included) before heading to garden number two of the day.  Garden number two today is Penjerrick, often referred to as “Cornwall’s true jungle garden, established in the 19 th century by Robert Were Fox, whose brother was responsible for Trebah so a family connection between todays’ two sights. This peaceful 15 acre, sub-tropical, spring-flowering garden has considerable historical and botanical interest. Rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, magnificent trees all grow in this sub tropical valley, in which ponds, bamboos, gunnera and immense tree ferns abound. Wildlife and birds take full advantage of the semi wild garden. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Trewithen Gardens and Trelissick Gardens Alas our time in the far southwest must come to an end but note before two final – and wonderful – gardens, starting with the gardens at Trewithen. Trewithen means “house of the trees” and the name truly describes this early Georgian house in its wood and parkland setting. The 30-acre garden is an International Camellia Society Garden of Excellence (1 of only 5 in the UK) and is also renowned for its rhododendrons, magnolias and Champion Trees. It is truly a beautiful place to visit, with something to discover at every turn of its level gravelled pathways. Time for lunch here (not included) before heading to the National Trust’s Trelissick, a woodland garden with formal lawns, herbaceous borders, exotic planting, an orchard and views over the River Fal. The 1750s house operates as a delightful place to sit and take in the view with refreshments from the house tearoom. Return to the hotel for approx. 17.00.

NB: Exact order of itinerary may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion  Please note:  Post tour extra nights are available at a supplement. Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 39 passengers.

• Four nights' bed and breakfast at the four-star Alverton Hotel, Truro, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
• Welcome reception 
• First night three-course dinner with wine 
• Three further dinners in the hotel restaurant
• All talks, guided tours and admissions 
• Coach transfers and tour manager, David Hurrion throughout 

NOT INCLUDED

• Transport to the hotel is not included
• Double for sole use supplement
• Extra nights on bed and breakfast basis
• Holiday insurance 
• Meals other than those stated
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
• Porterage and gratuities

Alverton Hotel, Truro

The four-star Alverton Hotel is located in a grade II listed building which oozes character. With its own bell tower, slate roof, arched mullion windows, ivy clad walls and curved archways, the hotel is an architectural gem housing an excellent hotel with a high standard of comfort and service. Facilities here include bar, restaurant and comfortable bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, radio, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities. Car parking: complimentary at the hotel

Hotel Website

MORE INFO -   Please click here to see full details of this tour

Your Guide - David Hurrion David started gardening as a young child and has been growing plants for more than 40 years. He has worked in gardens and nurseries, growing on a range of different soils and in different types of microclimate. His extensive knowledge and practical experience of plants, crops and growing techniques is founded on a thorough botanical and scientific training, complemented by an in depth understanding of garden design, wildlife, geology and climatology. He also trained as a teacher and has taught a huge diversity of subjects from botany, soil science and plant identification, to propagation, garden design and crop production, and from City & Guilds through to Degree level. He is also a popular speaker with local gardening groups.

As a journalist, David has spent more than 20 years writing for and editing the nation’s crop of garden magazines, currently as Associate Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. He has also written for a number of websites and appeared both as a regular contributor and an expert commentator on TV and radio. David is a popular figure in the horticultural world, well liked and respected for his knowledge by nurserymen, professional gardeners, journalists and the gardening public. He has designed, built and planted show gardens and display stands at most of the major garden shows in the UK, including the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show, and is now a Designate Judge for the Royal Horticultural Society.

He has also travelled to every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, to discover plants and gardens, both independently and on more than 50 trips accompanying groups of gardeners

Please note that all our UK tours start and finish at the relevant hotel.  

You can normally check in from 3pm onwards but hotels will always be happy to store your luggage if you arrive earlier in the day. 

For full details of how to get to the hotel, directions and the nearest train station, please click on the hotel website or call our office for details. These will also be sent automatically with your confirmation.  The welcome reception and first evening dinner / talk will commence at about 6pm - full details will be sent with your joining instructions about 10 days prior to the arrival date.

Recent reviews

I enjoyed this tour very much. Having mainly dry weather helped. If you were thinking of shortening it by a day, I would cut out Caerhays Castle (a demandingly steep wood) and Penjerrick (an unrestored jungle). But people might feel that if they have travelled all the way to Cornwall, 4 days is better than 3. I was very happy with the hotel, though not everybody was.

Review by Solomon who travelled 12-May-2024

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England: Great Gardens of Cornwall in the company of Mike Nelhams

With the help of Mike Nelhams, Curator of Tresco’s Abbey Gardens and a long-standing associate of Brightwater Holidays, we have put together this very special tour of Cornwall, featuring not only the gardens but the personalities behind them. These include Sir Tim Smit, the driving force behind both the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project, Charles Williams of Caerhays Castle and Lord Falmouth of Tregothnan Estate.

At our base in the comfortable Alverton Hotel, Truro, our tour begins with a presentation from Mike Nelhams on the great Gardens of Cornwall. Over the following three days we will see the gardens for ourselves, beginning with a tour of the Lost Gardens of Heligan with Garden Manager Alasdair Moore, after a personal introduction from Sir Tim Smit, and a visit to the wonderful spring gardens of Caerhays Castle, which includes lunch and a welcome from the owner Charles Williams. After an exciting day on Tresco and a tour of the outstanding Abbey Gardens, our tour concludes with a private visit to the Tregnothnan Estate with owner Lord Falmouth and a tour of the unique Tregothnan Tea Plantation.

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• Save 10% on this tour with our pay in full discount.

What to Expect

• Personal welcome and introduction from Sir Tim Smit at Heligan
• Tour of Heligan with Alasdair Moore
• Lunch and welcome from the owner at Caerhays Castle
• Private visit to the Tregothnan Estate and Tea Plantation with welcome from Lord Falmouth
• Day trip to Abbey Gardens and personally conducted tour with Curator Mike Nelhams

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Cornwall Garden Tours

Single or multiple day tour up to 4 guests £375 and 5-6 guests £425 per day.

Welcome to Cornwall Discovery Tours, where we invite you to experience the breathtaking beauty of Cornish gardens., our region boasts the mildest and sunniest climate in the UK, creating the perfect conditions for an array of stunning gardens that eagerly await your visit, from mid-March with the flowering of the splendid magnolias is a wonderful time to visit.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the eastern part of the Duchy, where you’ll discover remarkable horticultural wonders. Lanhydrock, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, and the world-renowned Eden Project are among the highlights that will enchant you with their natural splendour.

As you venture westward, be captivated by the charm of Glendurgan and Trelissick gardens, situated along the picturesque banks of the River Fal and Helford. These idyllic locations showcase the region’s unique flora in all its glory, providing an oasis of tranquility for visitors.

Our collection of gardens hold a rich horticultural tapestry. Whether you seek a single-day sightseeing tour or wish to indulge in multiple days of exploration. Simply get in touch with us, and we will be delighted to discuss the perfect itinerary tailored to your preferences.

Immerse yourself in the magic of Cornwall with our private guided tours, designed for up to six guests. Your knowledgeable driver and guide will accompany you on this enchanting journey, sharing fascinating insights and ensuring your comfort throughout. Please note that entrance fees are not included but can be conveniently paid as you go. Many of the gardens are operated by the National Trust, allowing you to utilize your NT membership where applicable.

Discover the unrivalled beauty of Cornish gardens with Cornwall Discovery Tours. Let us create an unforgettable experience that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

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