by Liz Norbury

Marsh Villa

As the days shorten, Marsh Villa’s colourful collection of trees, shrubs and late-flowering herbaceous plants are preparing to stage their last show of the season.
Among the stars are  Clerodendrum trichotomum fargesii, decked with blue berries; flame-red Sorbus sargentiana, and crimson Berberis atropurpurea - while close by, Acer griseum and Acer ‘October Glory’ are enjoying their finest hour.

Stroll a little further from the house, to see the spectacular weeping silver lime, Tilia ‘Petiolaris’, a shimmering golden fountain in October, and Parrotia persica 'Pendula‘, with its layers of multi-coloured leaves. Euonymus alatus is a double treat. Its brilliant foliage is a beacon of light by the pond, and is reflected in the clear water below.

In the herbaceous borders, blue, pink and white asters offer a contrast to the yellow and the mellow in the rest of the garden. Ten foot-tall Vernonia gigantea is festooned with purple flowers, and every blade of miscanthus and its fellow grasses is lit by autumn sunshine. Owner Judith Stephens is fond of the sultry deep blue spires of Aconitum carmichaelii, and she gives Gladiolus murielae the job of bringing brightness to the darkest corners.

Location: Par, near St Austell.
For admission prices and opening times, please check with the garden direct.
Telephone:  01726 815920

Trevarno

This enchanting woodland estate was drifting into gentle decline when it was saved by two businessmen who were captivated by its tranquillity and beauty. Its treasures include a sunken Italian Garden, a serpentine yew tunnel and a Victorian grotto. Ten years on from the day when visitors were first invited to come and share Trevarno’s magic, there is much to celebrate.

In spring, Trevarno boasts bluebells galore and rich red rhododendrons, and later on, shrubs from southern Europe and the southern hemisphere combine to create a  display of almost every colour under the summer sun; yet a pleasant autumn day is one of the best times of the year to wander through the 30-acre garden. A gentle stroll down to the valley floor brings a visual feast of ruby, bronze and gold: maple, beech, and the swamp cypress, Taxodium distichum, are all mirrored in the still waters of the ornamental lake.

The last of the late summer roses is still in bloom, but there may also a preview of the delights in store next spring. Trevarno has 75 recorded varieties of camellia, and fragrant Camellia sasanqua is the first to flower.

Location: Crowntown, near Helston.
For admission prices and opening times, please check with the garden direct.
Telephone: 01326 574274

Cotehele

Exotic plants from around the world thrive in Cotehele’s sheltered riverside setting and mild climate. A medieval dovecote, an 18th century water tower and a thatched Victorian summer house are among the features of the magical valley garden, which sweeps down to the banks of the River Tamar through 250 acres of mature woodland, now full of stunning autumn colour. A restored sailing barge is moored at the Quay and nearby, a working watermill, which, like the Cotehele estate itself, is under the care of the National Trust.

At the head of the valley is Cotehele House, built in Tudor times, and home to the Edgcumbe family for centuries. The formal gardens which surround it are largely of Victorian design, with terraces and courtyards and a lily pond; herbaceous borders, wisteria and roses.

There are also orchards both ancient and modern: more than 100 varieties of apple, pear and cherry have been planted at the new Mother Orchard, as part of a project to preserve and protect fruit trees found only in the Tamar Valley.
  
Location:  St Dominick, near Saltash.
For admission prices and opening times, please check with the garden direct.
Telephone: 01579 351346
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/devoncornwall