Summer Holidays 2025

August has arrived and the summer holidays are in full swing.

The warm weather has been encouraging the plants to stretch their new growth and the rain we’ve had has made everything sprout!

Our Japanese maples are lapping up the sunshine and the summer colour pallet is definitely visible now. The muted tones won’t give way to their vivid autumn colours for at least a couple of months yet but textures and shapes become the focus during August.

Today my walk in the garden was met with so many beautiful contrasts between light and shadows, shiny leaves compared to soft, carpet-like moss. The summer sun may give the garden an array of green tones but this allows visitors to appreciate the subtle textures of the space which can easily be overlooked by the flowers and vivid colours observed earlier in the year.

Japanese gardens traditionally celebrate texture and subtlety by stripping away distractions such as brightly coloured flowers. Instead opting for different shades of moss and a selection of carefully chosen green maple varieties.

Arguably the Japanese garden in Cornwall is at its most authentic during the summer months for this reason – that texture and form become the focus of the space.

Summer is always a wonderfully active time of year. The birds, the koi, the dragonflies and butterflies – the creatures are all flitting around and there is a buzz in the air. The heat makes it comfortable to be walking in the shade or to sit in a sunny spot in the garden if the sun is out.

Its been busy here at the garden with work ongoing in several areas and visitors have been enjoying seeing the Tea-house roof undergoing the beginning stages of replacement.

Please check out the latest photos – captured today during my visit – pictured below –