The Minack Theatre Garden is the latest member to join the ranks of the prestigious Great Gardens of Cornwall group, 14 of the most horticulturally spectacular gardens in the county.
The name Minack conjures up associations with Shakespeare and open-air theatre, however, The Minack’s garden has transformed the cliff edge to which it clings, and is as unique and special as the performances which grace its stage.
Head gardener, Jeff Rowe, said: “There is nowhere like the Minack in the UK, the planting is very different with lots of succulents that are left in the ground all year round. We’re thrilled to have this iconic landmark join the Great Gardens group.”
The Minack’s garden is a more recent addition to the headland than the theatre, with development only starting in earnest during the 1990s once the visitor centre was constructed.
Today, visitors to the Minack are greeted by a colourful and exotic array of planting that softens the tiered stone seating, and are captivated by the South African succulent Delosperma which drapes itself over granite walls, imitating theatre curtains, and intimately linking the garden to the way people experience performance at the Minack.
Due to the wider Cornish microclimate, signs of spring in the UK usually emerge in Cornwall first each year. The Nare Hotel celebrates spring each year by tracking the rise to 300 blooms across the Great Gardens of Cornwall’s six champion Cornish Magnolia Campbellii trees on its ‘Bloomometer’. Thanks to the warmth of the Gulf Stream, the partnership welcomed spring this year on February 16.
