Antony Woodland Gardens

Explore 100 acres of sprawling woodland garden and natural woodland walk bordering the Lynher estuary. This jungle wilderness is the perfect place for adventurous and energetic garden lovers.

Don your walking boots and stretch your legs and your senses over the lush gardens and pastures. Crammed with dangling green canopies, teaming with wildlife and smattered with one of the best woody plant collections in the county, there are few better places for horticultural fans that fancy a walk on the wild side.

Riverside trails are sprinkled with wild flowers and birds, and in the spring the glades are alive with primroses, nodding bluebells and potent wild garlic. A plethora of colour spreads from the massive variety of azaleas, rhododendrons and a named collection of no less than 103 magnolias to the National Collection of Camellia japonica of over 300 different cultivars.

Stroll to the northern edge and you will find Jupiter Point, where an inscribed granite stone stands in memory of Sir John and Lady Cynthia Carew Pole - those who were behind much of the last 50 years of inspired planting.

Let the kids, who do not pay an admission fee to the garden, run loose in this family friendly destination. Watch them expend their boundless energy in the fresh air of this endless fairytale forest. Keep their imaginations sparked whilst they search for wildlife, spot birdlife in the treetops and hunt for mini-beasts in the dense undergrowth. With so much to explore you might find you don't want to stop moving, but make sure you take time, rest and relax amongst the stunning blooms.

Why not pack a picnic and seek out your own private spot to feast in the arms of nature. Then follow the woodland walk to Richard Carew's "Fishful Pond" built over 600 years ago and returned via a ruined dovecote to your starting point.

Antony Woodland Garden remains part of the Carew Pole Garden Trust and is separate from Antony House.