I’ve been rubbish at walking this year. Lockdown, the weather, the G7 summit, a lack of energy and motivation, too many people, illness, whatever the excuse I have preferred to stay at home and spend time pottering in my garden. But we all know that walking is good for us, so I am determined to get out of the rut and off my butt and get on my feet again. Beginning with a peaceful stroll around a favourite garden.
From entering the garden I took my usual anti-clockwise route around the garden, first passing by the house and stables. These huge Hydrangea paniculata caught my eye immediately. I think one is ‘Vanille fraise’ which starts off pure white and then gradually takes on a raspberry tinge and the other ‘Limelight’ which opens in a soft shade of pea green, and then gradually matures through shades of cream to a delicate soft pink.
Stopping, as usual, by the font of the house with its beautiful colonnades where there is seating for you to pause and admire the views over the Carrick Roads whose name comes from the Cornish Dowr Carrek, meaning ‘rock anchorage’. It is the world’s third largest natural harbour and joins the English Channel at its southern end near the town of Falmouth.
After enjoying simply relaxing in the sunshine I carried on towards the tennis lawn which is a popular place for picnics due to the views and the shade provided by mature trees. This is after all supposed to be a walk, not a ‘sit and admire the scenery’. Watch out for the ‘ha-ha’ here though or you might find yourself in the grazing fields!
Around this top area of the woodland you will find many different Hydrangeas, which look spectacular at this time of year. They add spectacular colour and charm lightening up the shady spaces.
There are several routes meandering through the woodland, one taking you down to King Harry’s Ferry, the chain ferry across the River Fal onto the Roseland peninsula, or out of the garden onto the woodland walks around the river. But I only wanted a short and easy walk today and so, close to the thatched pavilion called Jack’s Summerhouse (Jack Lilley was the Head Gardener at Trelissick in 1955 when Ida Copeland gifted the garden to the National Trust) where you can sit and enjoy views over the water, I made my way back along one of the higher level pathways.
The estate is situated on its own peninsular, there is water on three sides and from a lovely viewpoint (with yet more benches) you can get a glimpse over to the Tregothnan estate on the other side of the river. It even has its own Cornish tea plantation!
My final stop off point before exiting the gardens was the main lawn where you find the lovely exotic borders. Here you’ll find a mix of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, evergreens and bulbs in the very deep borders that sweep around the lawn. The focal point of the lawn is the magnificent Japanese red cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) which was planted in 1898 and provides shade and a natural climbing frame for children.
This exotic summer border includes Dahlias – in particular the lovely rich reddish-purple ‘Trelissick Purple’, Ginger lilies, a beautiful dark red Hemerocallis ‘Morocco Red’, bright purple Geranium psilostemon, Canna lilies, Potentilla, Persicaria and Banana plants.
These wide borders are a magnet for bees and butterflies.
Before exiting the garden I just had to take a photo of the very pretty Rosa mutabilis (China rose) which produces single, scented flowers of honey-yellow to orange, ageing to cerise red.
And I will leave you with this very apt sign.
Lens Artists Photo Challenge #163 | Keep Walking
Cornwall in Colours 
Should have known you’d have the walk of the week Jude. The flowers are extraordinary – especially the hydrangeas, which are my favorite flower. You said you took the short walk but it looks pretty long to me!! Thanks for joining us this week!
How wonderful!
I’m glad you did get off your derriere to bring up this beautiful display of flowers and greenery, Jude. I bet you felt so much better after spending time in that garden, and so much the better because you didn’t have to do any of the weeding or pruning.