What is the Gulf stream?
We are so lucky to live on the West Cornwall Peninsula. The most south westerly peninsular in Britain warmed by the Gulf Stream – the warm air that flows from the Caribbean north east towards Europe and that lends us this unique sub tropical climate. Yet each day as I look down over the courtyard garden in the morning I still admire the Date Palms for their arching beauty and their ability to transport my imagination to anywhere in the world.
How the Gulf stream shapes our garden
Our English Bed and Breakfast guests have remarked so often to us this year that it feels quite like visiting a different country. Whilst our continental guests’ say that it feels like Italy with the Palms and the scent of the Fennel in the air. So today I thought I’d share the early morning courtyard. Waking up for the day that always holds a little bit of the magic of the morning for me. Notice the Echiums (the tall willow spires) in the outer garden beloved by bees and frost tender inside the shelter of the avenue of Cordyline Australis.
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To follow the progress of the Ednovean Farm Sub Tropical Garden, each month, click here for the Garden Diary
Gardens to visit
Throughout Cornwall the gardeners have relished the opportunity to grow the palms and succulents that enjoy our temperate climate but would fail at the first sniff of frost.
The gardens on St Michael’s Mount are spectacular with thriving succulents tucked in the granite rock face of the terraces. The gardeners there have to abseil down from above to attend to their more remote duties on the cliff face.
I was struck by the huge thriving Agaves and range of succulents on a visit to the Minack Theatre’s gardens at Porthcurno. Again the plants are tucked close to the huge granite outcrops that hold the heat of the day long after nightfall.
When visiting Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens my most lasting memory of garden was the avenue of the South American palm Butia Capitata growing high over Mounts Bay. And finally the the Tresco Abbey Gardens in the Isles of Scilly are world famous – I’d yet to visit the Tresco one and as you can imagine I’d love to do so still I do meet a lot of guests who have enjoyed them Sigh!!
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