Trewidden Garden

Ten minutes inland from Penzance, Trewidden Garden sits on the kind of Cornish hillside where the wind gets properly vicious and the plants have learned to tough it out. What started as a Victorian walled garden has become something altogether more interesting - a collection of rare and exotic plants that somehow thrive in this exposed corner of west Cornwall, thanks to the Gulf Stream and a gardener who knows what he's doing.

You'll walk through mature woodland, spot magnolias and rhododendrons that would struggle anywhere else in Britain, and stumble across pockets of Mediterranean planting that feel oddly right against the granite walls. It's not massive - allow two hours max - but the design rewards a proper wander rather than a quick lap.

This appeals most to serious gardeners and plant enthusiasts. If you're after tropical exotica and manicured herbaceous borders, you'll find them. Families with restless kids might find it a bit low-key after the first thirty minutes. The garden handles the Cornish climate with honesty rather than brute force, which some find refreshing and others find a bit rough round the edges.

Staying at Roselands Caravan Camping Park or Foxglove Field glamping - both within easy reach - gives you a proper base for exploring the Penzance area. Pair a morning here with a coastal walk, lunch in town, and you've got a solid half-day sorted. Worth the detour if plants genuinely interest you. Less essential if you're just ticking off attractions.