Sunday 26th April 2015 (Day 7, week 16)
Aiming to walk 1000 miles in a year
Total so far 316.3 miles (10.9 miles this week)
Hello
As you can see, I’m getting a bit behind with the total milage which should be up to 320 miles for week 16. So – I’ve had a lazy week. Well, not really. I had to go back to work this week which reduces the time left for walking. Never mind, I’m hatching a plan to improve things.
Meanwhile, today we had a quick walk around Trewidden Gardens, which is just outside of Penzance. We hadn’t visited before and were mighty impressed with their Spring displays of camellia and rhododendron not to mention the chocolate cake!
Lots of pictures in this post – just to give you a flavour – get down there if you can before the best of it is over, it’s worth a visit.
Enjoy
Rickety xx
Trewidden Garden, Buryas Bridge, Penzance (1.3 miles)
The 15 acres of garden at Trewidden have been owned and managed by the Bolitho family since the 19th century, when this site of an ancient tin mine was purchased by Edward Bolitho. It houses one of Englands best collections of magnolias and rhododendron as well as over 300 varieties of camellia.
The sites of the ancient open cast mines now contain an enormous collection of amazing tree ferns:
Dicksonia antartica or the Australian Soft Tree Fern were probably one of the first specimens introduced to Britian in the 19th century.
Just look at these uncurling – aren’t they amazing!
I love them!
This amazing ‘Jelly Palm’, Butia capitata, is about 100 years old and is coming to the end of its life. It has suffered from from the damp climate and the visible damage was caused about 20 years ago when the north side of the tree was frozen – but it’s still standing. It apparently produces fruit which make lovely jellies and jam in its native environment.
This solitary little mandarin duck was being given a hard time by the couple of mallards on the lake. Mandarin’s appear to particularly like lakes surrounded by rhododendron.
The phone box – just in case you need to make a call!
Isn’t this the most perfect specimen!
Finally, the Dawn Redwood – looking like a tree from The Hobbit – thought to be extinct at one time but then was found growing wild in China. This tree dates from 1940s or 50s and was probably among the first to be planted in the gardens.
ricketyrambler 
Wonderful. Will be making a visit soon.
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