Anyone who reads my blog knows that I absolutely love a big garden to explore. They’re perfect places for us to enjoy as a family - I love getting outside and seeing all the beautiful flowers and drawing inspiration for our own garden, and Max loves to dart down every path, exploring. The unique climate in Cornwall means that there are so many beautiful gardens to explore, and with each trip we make we’re ticking more off the list. Our favourite discovery of this trip was Trebah Gardens which I can’t recommend enough if you’re visiting Cornwall.

 

Trebah Gardens

I’d been recommended Trebah as a great place for families, and was drawn in by the exotic planting and the promise of the beautiful beach at the bottom of the garden. But if I’m honest, I didn’t expect it to be quite as beautiful as it was. We visited in late September, and it was looking just beautiful. The site is set on a steep incline, so with hindsight, it would have been better to take Ben in the baby carrier rather than the pushchair, but we managed fine carrying him down the few steps. We walked down through the winding paths, lined with rainforest-esque plants, and Max was running ahead, choosing the way. There were lots of different trails to choose from, and we let Max lead the way, navigating trails with great names, like The Bamboozle.

 

 

Once we’d made our way down into the valley, we emerged into Hydrangea Valley, which was still in bloom with hydrangeas of every colour. Hydrangeas are my favourite plants - they’re just so unashamedly bold and I love that! I can imagine the valley looks absolutely spectacular a bit earlier in the year, and I’ve made a note to visit again on our Cornwall trip next summer. I loved the little white bridge, which sits overlooking the lake and is surrounded by the hydrangeas.

 

 

Once you get to the far end of the lake you can take the little steps through to the beach. Although we knew it was there, it was somehow such a surprise to rise up at the top of the steps and see the blue water stretching out in front of you. It was such a beautiful little beach - sandy, but with plenty of pebbles to throw in and skim across the water.

 

 

There was a cute little cafe to grab an ice cream or a drink, and it had plenty of buckets and spades to borrow which we made use of. One thing to note is that the only toilets in the garden are located at the entrance, right at the top of the valley, so although it wasn’t a problem for us, it’s worth knowing!

 

 

We spent quite a while at the beach before heading back up to the entrance to get something for lunch. I was really impressed by the cafe - it was clearly very new and had a great range of freshly cooked food. I had a lovely caesar salad with anchovies - delicious!

 

We absolutely loved our visit to Trebah - I thought it was one of the most beautiful and exciting places we’ve visited. I wish we’d known just how beautiful the beach was going to be, as I’d have been in swimming (or at least paddling!) like a shot if we’d had towels and swimming costumes and a picnic for lunch!

The entry fee actually included a return visit within 7 days, which we were all set to do as we loved it so much, but sadly the time just ran out on us. For next time!

 

Information

Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth TR11 5JZ

Open daily, all year round, 10am until 5pm

Adults £11, Children £4.40 (with Gift Aid), Under 5’s free

Website: http://www.trebahgarden.co.uk/ (Check website for current opening times and prices)