Trewithen Gardens

A plantsman's garden, a century in the making

Trewithen has been a family estate since 1715, when lawyer Philip Hawkins bought the land, and the Palladian house that still stands today was built from 1723 by architect Thomas Edwards, with its celebrated south front added around 1763. But the gardens visitors come for are a later creation: when George Johnstone took charge of the estate in 1903 at the age of 22, he began a major replanting scheme that would transform the grounds into one of the great woodland gardens of Cornwall's camellia and magnolia belt.

Johnstone was part of a syndicate of Cornish garden owners, alongside J.C. Williams of Caerhays, who financially sponsored George Forrest's plant-hunting expeditions to China and the Himalayas in the early 20th century. The wild-collected seed Forrest brought back established much of Trewithen's collection, including species camellias still seen today along the garden's Camellia Walk. The results have had a lasting international impact: the original Camellia x williamsii 'Donation' plant grown at Trewithen is the parent of every 'Donation' camellia grown anywhere in the world, and the garden also raised the award-winning Camellia saluenensis 'Trewithen Red'. The magnolia collection includes notable specimens such as Magnolia sargentiana from western China and Magnolia campbellii 'Charles Raffill', and a formal walled garden near the house holds more tender and half-hardy plants in contrast to the informal 30 acres of woodland beyond.

After Johnstone's death in 1960, his family continued his work, and the estate passed to his grandson Michael Galsworthy, who replanted over 30,000 trees following the great storm of 1990. Trewithen remains family-run today, with Michael's son Sam Galsworthy the current steward - four generations now carrying forward a garden built on one of the great plant-hunting stories of the 20th century.

Opening Times & Ticket Prices

The gardens are open daily from 1 March to 30 September, 10am to 4:30pm (last entry 4pm). The house is open for guided tours on selected days from late April to the end of June, plus the August bank holiday Monday, with tours running at set times through the afternoon.