Garden lovers will not be short of gardens to visit in Cornwall with over 50 listed by the Tourist Board. The county also has over 29 National Trust properties, many featuring beautifully manicured and maintained gardens. Kimberley Park Garden is not the grandest or largest garden, but it is free to visit and it has an interesting history.
The gardens at Kimberley Park are named after the Earl of Kimberley who has owned the land for generations but leased it to the Falmouth Borough Council. These well-established gardens pre-date 1877 and the variety of rare and unusual species of tropical trees and shrubs makes this a quiet green space which is treasured by locals. It is situated on the outskirts of Falmouth's bustling town centre, between the railway station and the University College Wellington College Annex.
Rare species at Kimberley Park Gardens
Such is the rarity value of some of the trees at Kimberley Park that it has been visited and admired by staff from Kew Gardens. The planting goes on even today, as the Town Council encourages people and businesses to donate a tree in the planting programme to help keep the park looking green and lovely.
After exploring the waterfront shops and cafés in Falmouth, walk up to Kimberley Park, or perhaps pick up a pasty or sandwich at one of the local bakeries and enjoy an impromptu picnic in the gardens. It is just a short 5-10 minute walk from the town, and 15 minutes from the seafront if you are on foot. If you are driving into Falmouth, the nearest car park to the gardens is on The Moor, 5-10 minutes' stroll away.
Kimberley Park Gardens cover seven acres and is a show of colour in all seasons. In summer the blue globes of agapanthus bulbs make a surreal display beneath the trees, once the gorgeous display of azaleas is over.
If you like more formal flower beds and traditional park plantings, you will find plenty to appreciate as you stroll along the shady winding paths. The beautifully mown lawn areas are bordered with sub-tropical bedding plants, which I find are a great inspiration for planning my own summer flower beds, albeit on a slightly smaller scale!
Fox Rosehill Gardens in Falmouth
Another public garden worth noting in Falmouth is the Fox Rosehill Gardens. Free to visit and enjoy, the Fox Rosehill Gardens are located less than a mile from Kimberley Park, on Melvill Road. They were designed as the private gardens of a house belonging to Robert Were Fox.
The Fox family were Quakers, and although the family owned mines and dabbled in shipping, Robert Were Fox was a scientist, known for his work on research into the core temperature of the earth. His main home was on the family estate at Penjerrick, but he also built a townhouse on the site of the gardens which he named Rosehill.
In 1839, Fox set about creating these gardens which are now a delight to see, especially in spring when the heavy camellias are in full bloom. Incidentally, Robert's son Charles created the nearby valley garden at Trebah, overlooking the Helford River.
Look for the fabulous avenue of Dracaena Palms which led to the streets of Falmouth being planted with palms, many of which you can still see today. Now managed by Carrack Council, the Fox Rosehill Gardens are crammed with exotic palms, aloes, tree ferns and other and Mediterranean plants that thrive in Cornwall's mild climate.
There are several more gardens around Falmouth. Which would you recommend to garden-loving visitors as worth seeing? Do share your local knowledge with us by posting a comment below.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.