Hi everyone,
On a recent visit to family I travelled to one of our partner gardens, The Newt in Somerset, near Bruton, to take advantage of one of our reciprocal membership benefits, something that we all should do when we can. It is an extraordinary place that delivers a first-class experience. Well worth a visit, not just for the gardens and excellent shops and cafes, but for the insight into horticulture and history. The History of Gardening exhibition, approached along a tree-top walkway, requires you to remove your shoes before taking an interactive guide. The Roman Villa Experience is literally a world class museum in a field. We were left with little time to visit the garden, so I will definitely be returning.
If you’ve visited, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, I encourage you to go if you can. It’s a place that can give you – in my view – one of the best days out in the UK and entry is free with your Trebah membership card.
Closer to home the garden here continues to look fantastic. Seeing the fresh spring green of new leaves is one of my favourite sights of the year, particularly alongside bluebells. Ours are in full flower and smell great at the moment, the gentle carpet of colour they provide interspersed with wild garlic giving a soft backdrop of colour for an increasing amount of the garden as they naturalise. Our fragrant rhododendrons are just that and Trebah’s gunnera is, I think, the tallest gunnera I’ve ever seen in early May and already very impressive. Finally it feels there is more warmth in the sun to encourage growth in plants and to encourage all of us to spend some more time outdoors.
As you’ll see in the event section below, Saturday 1 June sees the return of Military Day. Organised annually in partnership with The Royal Cornwall branch of the Parachute Regimental Association to mark the anniversary of the D-Day embarkations here, this year seems more poignant than ever as we approach the 80th anniversary of D-Day. I mention this not to promote the event but because it marks an important part of Trebah’s heritage and our local history, as many of you know. Military Day itself will be very busy as we welcome hundreds of veterans, military personnel, their families and other organisations to commemorate the brave men and women who left these shores in June 1944. Hosting Military Day is something we are very proud to do and I felt it important to mention it here.
Along with many other attractions in Cornwall we’ve been a little quieter than expected through the Easter holidays and the second half of April. It seems the weather has been – perhaps understandably – putting off some of those who would normally travel to Cornwall at this time of year, so thank you as ever for your continued support as Trebah Members - it really matters.
With best wishes,
Jon, CEO
