Spring Has Sprung! Cornwall Declares the Arrival of the Season

Published On: 25 February 2025Last Updated: 25 February 2025By CornishStuff

Photo: High Sheriff of Cornwall – Sam Galsworthy – Spring Story 2025 – Trewithen Estate – Copyright The Nare Hotel 2025

Magnolia Blooms Signal the Start of Spring in Cornwall

Spring has officially arrived in Cornwall, marking an exciting moment in the botanical calendar. Following a weekend of sunshine and showers across the Westcountry, the declaration was made yesterday (24th February 2025) by The Nare Hotel and The Great Gardens of Cornwall as part of Cornwall’s Spring Story.

A Tradition Rooted in Cornwall’s Great Gardens

The arrival of spring is determined when 50 Magnolia campbellii blooms have opened across six of Cornwall’s most renowned gardens. This year’s declaration took place at Trewithen Estate, home to one of the champion magnolias, with Sam Galsworthy, the estate’s owner and current High Sheriff of Cornwall, announcing the seasonal change.

Cornwall’s early spring is credited to its naturally mild, sub-tropical climate, influenced by the Gulf Stream. This allows the county’s Magnolia campbellii trees to flower before anywhere else in England—and even before their counterparts in the Himalayas.

Where Cornwall’s First Blooms Appear

The six champion Magnolia campbellii trees are closely monitored each year at:

Tregothnan
Caerhays
Trebah
Trewidden
Trewithen
The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Once each of these gardens reports at least 50 open blooms, the declaration is made, signalling that spring has arrived in England.

A Celebration of Spring for Over a Decade

Cornwall’s Spring Story was founded in 2012 by Toby Ashworth, proprietor of The Nare, in partnership with The Great Gardens of Cornwall. Now in its 13th year, the tradition ensures that garden enthusiasts, visitors, and locals alike can witness the vibrant spectacle of early spring magnolias.

Toby commented: “Yet again, we are delighted to declare the arrival of spring in Cornwall in February. Over the last 13 years, we have observed this pattern, with the Magnolia campbellii consistently flowering between Valentine’s Day and the first week in March. I am also told by our reliable sources at Tremap that the Cornish Magnolias are flowering earlier than their cousins in the Himalayas.”

Jonathan Jones OBE, Managing Director of Tregothnan and Founder of Tremap, added: “We can happily confirm that Cornwall has beaten India to declare spring! The audit of all campbellii is ongoing, and we are surprised (or rather, alarmed) at how scarce they appear to be. Cornwall’s Spring Story is helpful to raise awareness and find magnolia spotters across the northern hemisphere.”