The garden at Roseland house is the vision and work of Charlie & Liz Pridham. The couple arrived in 1983 by which time the garden had befallen over a hundred years of neglect and abuse.
In the mid-Victorian era it was like so many other things, rather unsympathetically 'modernised' and by the end of the Second World War practically the whole garden had been "dug for victory".
During the ensuing years and various owners little was done and the garden was largely neglected.
When the Pridhams arrived they certainly had their work cut out for them. Gardening did not begin straight away but the hedges, trees and shrubs planted in the early days now provide the shelter without which nothing much will grow in Cornwall. In the early years the soil was also in much need of attention as the light, shaley soil contained arsenic amongst other poisinous minerals.
After some toil the garden began to take on the shape we see today. A pond was dug which is now overhung by a large Eucalyptus aggregata that was planted at the same time. It also gave the couple an opportunity to indulge their passion for climbing plants with the garden containing many climbers including a great many old Rambling roses and Clematis. This is where the garden excels with over 300 varities of climbers, rose and honeysuckle.
The house itself was built in the 1700s but, like the garden, modernised by its owner in the 1840s to include perhaps is finest attribute, the conservatory. Covered in wisteria at one end the conservatory houses plants like Lapageria 'Flesh Pink' (as seen to the right), Pandorea Jasminoides 'Rosea Superba' and several strongly scented tender Jasmines (J. azoricum and J. sambac)
There is also a small upper courtyard created in 1999. It is a little more sheltered from the wind than the rest of the garden and provides a tranquil area with a variety of potted and more delicate plants.
