Tregothnan’s Tea Secrets Unveiled Tonight on BBC Countryfile – Learn How to Grow Your Own Tea Bush

This Sunday, Tregothnan Estate’s renowned tea gardens will be showcased on BBC Countryfile as Adam Henson demonstrates the steps to plant a tea bush at home. With guidance from Tregothnan’s experts, viewers can learn the benefits of cultivating their very own tea plants, bringing a fresh supply of leaves right to their kitchens. Countryfile is on tonight at 6:20pm on BBC1.

A Legacy of Camellia Cultivation

Tregothnan’s history with tea dates back over two centuries. Known for pioneering the cultivation of Camellia in the UK, Tregothnan introduced the Camellia plant to Great Britain, and today, the estate is home to two of the Royal Horticultural Society’s National Collections of Camellia varieties – Camellia reticulata and Camellia sasanqua. But tea, a specific type of Camellia (Camellia sinensis), wasn’t planted at Tregothnan until the late 1990s, when Head Gardener Jonathon Jones, after completing a Nuffield Scholarship, led the trial planting of tea bushes. Despite early setbacks, including spring storms that displaced the young plants, the team persisted, and by 1999, the first British tea bushes were successfully established.

Cornwall’s Unique Micro-Climate

Tregothnan attributes the success of its tea gardens to Cornwall’s rare micro-climate, which benefits from a sea creek that extends nearly seven miles inland from Falmouth, wrapping the estate in mist and warmth. This mild climate, once described by Thurston in the 19th century as “merely a languid spring,” allows Tregothnan’s tea bushes to thrive. In fact, Cornwall’s tea gardens often enjoy conditions warmer than the famed tea-growing region of Darjeeling in India, where pink Magnolia campbellii blooms just as it does at Tregothnan, often heralding the arrival of spring.

From Experimental Planting to Full Production

After the first harvest in 2005, which yielded just 28 grams of tea, Tregothnan’s tea bushes have expanded steadily across the estate, with around 20,000 bushes planted annually in specially selected garden areas. Out of the estate’s 1,000 acres, only 150 meet the strict criteria necessary for optimal tea production, positioning Tregothnan as a niche luxury brand in the tea market.

Get Your Tea Bush Online

Today, Tregothnan offers a range of teas, from their popular Classic black tea blend to exclusive Single Estate teas, green tea, and home-grown herbal infusions. For those inspired to grow tea at home, Tregothnan’s large tea bushes, complete with care notes, are now available online – making the ideal gift for anyone who thinks they have everything.