A vast parkland, a major historical house which has so many associated buildings clustered around it, alongside its own church, it seems like a village in itself – and a garden of ingenuity, beauty and variety, which surprises and delights you as you explore its paths, its structure and colourful planting: this is Lanhydrock.
views Lanhydrock House National Trust Cornwall SC Skillman
Closer to the house and church, on our July 2020 visit, we could see that the gardeners have been hard at work during the UK Covid19 lockdown, preparing the beds for new planting, which shows us the perfect symmetrical layout waiting for the lines to be softened with a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes and textures.
With every bend of the path we come upon new vistas which satisfy our innate sense of proportion and design, please the eye and fill us with a sense of peace and harmony.
garden design Lanhydrock National Trust Cornwall SC Skillman
Explore the thoughts and feelings of other bloggers who have been inspired by the gardens at Lanhydrock: Shoffmire, roadeveron and ilovecornwall8.
And do check out the previous posts in my Cornwall mini series.
Part 4 The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Part 8 The Screech Owl Sanctuary
Part 11 Falmouth Discovery Quay and Pendennis Castle
Part 12 Trellisick National Trust
Part 13 St Mawes and Gorran Haven
Part 14 Trebah Garden
scskillman.com 
My ancestors were servants living in the grounds of Lanhydrock. When I visited last, the gardens were gorgeous and I was really moved being in the little chapel. But I found myself with very mixed feelings about the house and it’s owners, such wealth and extravagance for so few, in comparison to the workers’ lives.
Thank you for your comment. How interesting to know that your ancestors worked here. We were of course unable to visit the house on this occasion, but the last time I visited Lanhydrock, I did tour the house and associated buildings. I can identify with your feelings about the vast structure set up to support the family. Even without having your personal connection with those servants, I believe that with our modern sensibilities and our sharper sense of social justice now, we cannot help feeling uncomfortable about this carefully preserved evidence of the different values of our forbears.