The iconic ‘Coming Home Trees’ were last night alight with a beautiful pink magnolia glow – marking the early arrival of Spring in Cornwall (February 27 th , 2023) 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.

Toby Ashworth, proprietor of The Nare and founder of the Cornwall Spring Story, says: “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.”

Toby Ashworth, proprietor of The Nare and founder of the Cornwall Spring Story

“There’s nowhere better to enjoy early spring than in Cornwall,” said 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”.

Learn more about Cornwall’s Spring Story here

Coming Home Trees image credit: Mike Newman

About The Great Gardens of Cornwall
The Great Gardens of Cornwall is a collection of 13 of the best-known, largest, most historically and horticulturally important gardens in Cornwall. Spread across Cornwall, from a tidal estuary on the River Tamar, to the tip of the Isles of Scilly, the 13 gardens include:
Antony Woodland Gardens, Bonython Estate Gardens, Caerhays Castle Spring Gardens, the Eden Project, Lamorran Gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Trebah Garden, Tregothnan, Tregrehan Garden, Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Tresco Abbey Garden, Trewidden and Trewithen.

For more information about The Great Gardens of Cornwall and the Spring Story, please visit: www.greatgardensofcornwall.co.uk