Hello everyone,
At Trebah this month it definitely feels time for refreshing walks and warming treats now the clocks have gone back. The garden has got some great autumn colour at the moment and the sasanqua camellia sasanqua on radiata path is already flowering, which the garden team say is a sign of autumn moving towards winter.
To follow a walk in the garden our Sunday lunches, Wednesday Winter Warmers and Fish And Chip Fridays are all literally back on the menu. Stories With Santa is available for bookings on December weekends and our Christmas menu is booking up well, so please check it out soon if you’d like to book a table between 1 and 21 December.
This week a new prize for secondary school students has been launched by historians in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, at the University of Exeter, Cornwall, in partnership with Trebah and the Hibbert family: The Tony Hibbert Prize. The prize invites students in key stages 3-5 (years 7 to 13) to develop creative responses which link their interest in the history of modern war with the world we live in today. Students will be asked to develop projects around a set theme that will encourage them to consider the relationship between 20th century conflict and the challenges the world faces today. The university is now inviting entries from schools across the county. The theme for 2026 is ‘Cornwall at war’.
As we have the connection to the Second World War here with the D-day embarkations, to Major Hibbert of course and the fact part of our charitable purpose centres around education, it feels very appropriate for us to be involved.
It will be fascinating to see the work produced by young people over the coming months. Winners will be announced next summer.
For more information, please click here.
We were visited recently by Japanese craftspeople from Kyoto, who are skilled in the traditional art of takezaiku or ‘bamboo craft’. You may have seen this in some online news articles over the last week or so.
Alice McCabe, a leading floral artist from London is leading the project. Alice has applied to exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show next year with a sculptural piece that, if accepted, will see canes from the most well-known clump of bamboo in the garden at the head of the bamboozle – fargeisa luchuensis – head off to London in May. Inspired by Monty Don’s Great British Gardens – in which we featured – Alice approached Kew Gardens, who in turn recommended Trebah as the ideal place for her and the team to source British bamboo that would be as close in quality to that found in Japan as possible, hence their visit.
Having watched Aki, the master craftsman and his apprentice, Yoshika, in action – their skills are quite something. What they can do with some simple but incredibly sharp tools is incredible.
If Alice’s Chelsea application is successful the plan is then be for the piece to be re-installed at Trebah. Fingers crossed.
Being November, it means that our membership reciprocal offers are once again live with a number of attractions within Cornwall. Check out the membership page of our website for the places you can visit for free this month.
Thanks to you all for your ongoing support as Trebah Members.
Best wishes, Jon
