The iconic ‘Coming Home Trees’ are alight with a beautiful pink magnolia glow – marking the early arrival of Spring in Cornwall (February 27) and now is advancing into the rest of England.
Cornwall’s Spring Story officially declares the first day of spring, now that all six magnificent Cornish Magnolia Campbellii are flowering with 50 blooms on each tree across the Great Gardens of Cornwall.
Toby Ashworth, Cornwall’s Spring Story founder and proprietor of The Nare Hotel, created the magnolia-inspired illumination to shine a light on Spring’s early arrival to Cornwall by highlighting the ‘Home Coming Trees’.
The small copse of trees along the A30 near Lifton, known locally as the ‘Coming Home Trees’, are a welcome and familiar sight for many en route to Cornwall.
Due to the Gulf Stream, the county’s mild, sub-tropical climate ensures that Cornwall sees signs of spring earlier than the rest of the country each year.
The six prized Magnolia Campbellii trees are located within Cornwall’s Great Gardens of Caerhays, Trebah, Tregothnan, Trewidden, Trewithen, and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Annually, each head gardener closely monitors the trees, signally the start of spring the moment all six champion Magnolia trees flower with at least 50 blooms.
Cornwall’s Spring Story was founded by Toby Ashworth, proprietor of The Nare Hotel, in partnership with the Great Gardens of Cornwall in 2012 – to save garden lovers from missing the splendid sight of the early spring Magnolia Campbellii flowering.
Ashworth said: “The flowering of the magnificent magnolia trees signify spring bursting into life and is truly a sight to behold. It’s with great excitement we share our Spring Story illumination, offering a joyful Magnolia glow in honour of Spring’s early arrival, coming first to Cornwall.”
“There’s nowhere better to enjoy early spring than in Cornwall,” added Charles Williams, owner of Caerhays Castle and Gardens and chairman of the Great Gardens of Cornwall. “Garden lovers should plan to come here in March to really see the gardens in all their spectacular and unique beauty. Flowering Magnolias are the true start of the Spring season.”