Cothele in Spring

As we had a voucher for a free afternoon tea at a garden centre in the Tamar Valley we decided to combine our trip there with a visit to Cothele.  The Tamar Valley is renowned for its daffodils, but we knew we were a little too early in the year to see them at their best.  However we hoped there would be other spring flowers to admire in the gardens surrounding Cothele House and we were not dissappointed.

As we drove down to the house (on winding country lanes) there were daffodils flowering in the hedges.   These are left from when the daffodil fields had be to dug up to grow vegetables in the war.  The owners hoped to restock their daffodil fields after the war but it has not happened to a large extent.  However, it is good to see the splashes of bright yellow as you drive along.

As soon as we came out of the reception at Cothele we faced a bank of snowdrops and crocuses.  These were past their best, although perhaps would have looked better if the sun was shining and the crocus flowers were open.  But they gave us an indication of what was to follow.

Cothele House was closed but we could admire the architecture from outside.  In places the ancient stones contrasted beautifully with the flowering camelias and spring bulbs.

As we walked around the gardens we noticed how well kept they were.  There was quite a number of gardeners working in the gardens and they were doing an excellent job.  The main flowers out were snowdrops and crocuses but there were the occasional daffodil and other spring flowers as well.

The snowdrops seemed to be in small clumps as if they had recently been planted.  It will be lovely to see them once they have naturalised.  There were many daffodil plants in bud, they will certainly make a lovely show when they are all out.

It was a grey, misty day and the view from the edge of the garden over Calstock was not as clear as it could be, but is was still good to see the magnificent railway viaduct - a real feat of Victorian engineering.

It was too cold to walk further around the Cothele estate, either in the woods towards the Mill or down by the river, but we will definitely be back and hopefully when the daffodils are at their best.