Tresco

Posted on 22 Oct, 2009 22 comments

We have just had a weeks break in Cornwall staying in Penzance.After a first day of cloud and drizzle the weather improved and was dry with plenty of sun: not the sort of weather we expected mid October.

The highlight of the week was a daytrip to Tresco Abbey Garden on the Isles of Scilly. This sub-tropical garden really is amazing, its hard to believe you are still in the UK. After a short flight (20minutes) you find yourself beside clumps of Agapanthus and Aeoniums growing wild and, once inside the Abbey, walking amongst Palms, Aloes, Agaves, many species of Protea,Pelargoniums, Hedychiums and many more sub-tropical plants that I can’t name.If you like any of the above its a plantspersons heaven.

If you can drag yourself away from the Abbey have a walk around the island, the beaches are stuning and its so quiet! I can recomend the pub the food is good although you may have to share it with the very cheeky and tame sparrows.

I really didn’t know where to start when taking photos, there was so many plants of interest, but here is a few.

Luecadendron argentea.The silver leaf tree from South Africa.

not a good picture,I tried to get to much in. Three of my favourite genus start at the begining of the alphabet, Aeoniums,Aloes and Agaves.

I have never seen such large plants of Ageranthemum,this picture taken
outside a house about10 minutes away from the Abbey.

I loved this tree! the Norfolk pine, Araucaria heterophylla. I think the palm is Phoenix dactylifera,the date palm.

Sorry about the ugly mug but I wanted to show just how big these Agaves grow on these islands!

Amaryillis belladonna. There was a lot of these as well as large clumps of Nerine in the borders.

These are the stock plants of Aeonium ‘Schwarzkopf’ for sale in the shop.very popular!

Aeoniums growing wild along the roadside amonst the brambles

Aloes growing at the foot of a large palm.

One of many large clumps of Bromeliads, this is Puya laxa,

This was the last picture I took before the battery ran out! so frustrating.

luckily I had taken this picture earlier: a view from one of the (deserted) beaches over looking some of the smaller islands.

Back on the mainland:I found this lovely group of plants growing in a small back street of St.Ives. There is 2 Aeonium sp. A.arborium and I think the other is A.haworthii: Euphorbia mellifera, Geranium maderense and a Cordyline australis.

This is the inflorescence of a Furcraea gigantica-the same plant I posted on my blog last May-taken in Pendeen gardens, Penzance.Instead of setting seed it develops bulbils on the spike.

It really is a spectacular sight.The gardener allowed me to take a couple of bulbils home. It may take me a few years to get the to flowering size if I can over winter them!

Not all the locals are friendly! This chap is a smuggler on the roof of the Admiral Benbow pub in Penzance.

Comments

Drc726

thanks for sharing your holiday pics great plants

22 Oct, 2009

Bulbaholic

Thanks for the blog,rbt, we really must get down to the south west to look at gardens one day.

22 Oct, 2009

Sanbaz

great bog and pics, thanx for sharing them

22 Oct, 2009

Lincslass

Glad you had a good holiday Rbt and thanks for showing these photo`s there are some wonderful plants in them and lovely colours...

22 Oct, 2009

Bobg

Great blog and some lovely 'shots' hehehe (smuggler on roof .... geddit.... shots ..... doh!) the pictures are great though thankyou for sharing.

22 Oct, 2009

Terratoonie

Interesting blog and fantastic pics. Thanks. :o)

22 Oct, 2009

Louise1

Lovely. Lovely. Lovely.
I've always wanted to visit and this blog makes me want to go right now.

23 Oct, 2009

Blodyn

It's nice to see these photos. They are interesting. Pitty the batteries failed but the ones you did take are great. I love Cornwal. I remember seeing Lampranthus growing wild on the cliffs at Lizard. It's such a good climate there. I don't think those Aeoniums growing up those steps need any protection in the winter.

23 Oct, 2009

Pipsqueak

Great pics and great blog. Thanks for sharing it

23 Oct, 2009

Genuisscuffy

Great photos!

23 Oct, 2009

Lily2

Lovely pics and such beautiful gardens. Thank you for showing me what it looks it looks like in the sunshine with beautiful blue skies. It poured with rain on my day trip there!

23 Oct, 2009

Clarice

Nice blog thanks for showing your photos

23 Oct, 2009

Arlene

Wow thanks! well worth a visit!I have got buds on mysugarbush proteas for the first time~ can't wait for the flowers~none on my Cynarodes though~

23 Oct, 2009

David

Wonderful - hard to believe you weren't a 1000 miles away!

23 Oct, 2009

Rbtkew

Thanks for all your comments,The Isles of Scilly are beautiful,as is the far southwest of Cornwall. Perfect for growing tender plants. I'd like to retire there one day.

23 Oct, 2009

David

No wonder!!

23 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

It all looks so mild and great for growing unusual plants, Robert. You must have thoroughly enjoyed seeing them all.

One of the teachers at my school in Kent came from St Mary's. She couldn't wait to get back there!!! (Can't think why...LOL)

23 Oct, 2009

Sandra

OMG amazing photos. ive been so looking forwrd to seeing them..;-))
the agave is just amazing. i have two outside that survived last winter i wonder how long they will take to get that big...
the stock plants are just gobsmacking....are they planted in the ground? do they stay out all winter? i lost so many last year. some had been out for a few years and were getting so big. but i have rebuilt most of my stock this year and with a new greenhouse nearly finished we hope to hang on to them this year.
i have been to st. marys but didnt have the time to cross to tresco, but i WILL....;-))
thank you so much you've made my day...

25 Oct, 2009

Delonix1

Rbtkew:

These are incredible photos! I was very impressed
with the Strelitzia nicolai - Giant Bird-of-Paradise, Luecadendron argentea and the Araucaria heterophylla - Norfolk Island Pine. They are very widely grown in California also. A bit of trevial fact...Luecadendron argentea - Silver Leaf Tree grows much larger in Califorinia than in its native habitat. I'm not sure why that is though.

2 Nov, 2009

Sandra

Delonix
i find it amazing that an island so close to mainland britain can grow so many tender plants...
i lost so many plants with the frosts last year its nice to know the scilly isles plants survived. its a place i will definately be returning to.

4 Nov, 2009

Delonix1

Sandra:

Yes, it's amazaing! However, it shows how much
an island's climate is influenced by water temperature.

I know that's why San Diego's climate is so mild...because
of the proximity to the ocean...the water temp is relatively warm in summer and stays mild during winter which moderates our winter temps...even inland areas.

I hope next time I'm in Europe...I can make a trip to
Tresco and many other cities in England!

5 Nov, 2009

Sandra

we live right by the sea so have a bit of an island feel...its very windy here. in the winter we are usualy above freezing as the wind keeps the air moving. its only when the wind stops that we suffer from hard frosts...this is what happened in january this year...

5 Nov, 2009

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