Trevoole, a renovated farm and planters garden, was due to open to supporters this Sunday 19th July. The Open Garden would raise money for Cornwall Wildlife Trust as part of our annual Open Gardens series but due to coronavirus, has been unable to do so. This week, we speak to owner Travis, about how his garden has transformed, and what we loves about it.
Trevoole Farm was purchased in 2002 in a near derelict state. Previous owners had farmed a mix of Dairy and market garden produce.
Apart from the rear farmhouse garden everything else has been worked on and developed since I moved in. Being an old granite built smallholding the garden lends itself to traditional cottage garden plants and Roses etc.
Initial projects included the renovation of the farmhouse, next came the conversion of the barns into holiday accommodation. The income generated was used for the restoration of the outer buildings and gardens.
The lower part of the garden is comprised of a long border running down to a courtyard using troughs and galvanised pots to add colour. Behind the farmhouse is a shady garden and a bog garden behind the stable.
If you make your way up through the long rosewalk leading you to the patchwork potager, a grass garden, herb garden and orchard. Next to the vegetable patch is the buzzing Bee border providing much needed nectar for the resident Beehives. The pond, long grass, random wood piles and garden waste all play a part in encouraging nature to thrive at Trevoole.
Over the years many people have helped Trevoole become a special place from holiday makers, tenants, friends and hardworking knowledgeable gardeners.
Currently the garden is thriving with the warm wet weather - the Rosewalk is heaving, the Bee border is now exploding. Lots of wildlife lives with us here at Trevoole, my favourite at the moment are the mother and baby woodpeckers noisily residing in the trees and feeding at the table.
We planted some leucanthemum in the meadow in the hope of creating a variety of plants other than just grass.
One of my favourite plants is the Cardoon , they are about to flower their huge bristly flowers, the bumble bees absolutely love them.
I agreed to open my garden for the CWT purely to allow them to raise as much money for wildlife projects as possible. While we seem to be fighting a loosing battle to protect our planet at least some likeminded people are trying to make a difference
My life has not changed a great deal due to Covid so I keep gardening at Trevoole for the same reasons as before , it gives me pleasure spending time in nature.
Thanks to the commitment of volunteers and garden hosts, Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Open Gardens series raises much needed funds for our work, securing over £20,000 in 2018 alone. Due to the pandemic, these funds are unlikely to be raised in 2020, putting the future of our work at risk.
