This Trevince Garden Was Designed for Insects, Not People

The flowers in one corner of Trevince were never arranged for human eyes.

Trevince, the country estate in Gwennap at the heart of Cornwall’s historic mining district, is launching a Pollinator Pathmaker garden on Friday 26 June at 10.30am. Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, the artist who conceived the concept, will cut a ribbon to declare it officially open for visitors of all kinds to enjoy throughout the season.

A garden planned by an algorithm

Pollinator Pathmaker is a living sculpture made from plants. It is also an artwork for pollinators, planted and cared for by people. Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, an artist whose work examines our relationships with nature and technology and the human impulse to “better” the world, created a custom algorithm that designs planting for pollinators’ tastes, not humans’.

With pollinators in decline, the artwork sets out to encourage empathy for other species and to make people caretakers of nature rather than consumers. Planting schemes start with plants suited to the specific conditions of a site. The algorithm then optimises them to provide pollen and nectar for the greatest number of local pollinators possible.

📷Credit: Richard Stone

From the Eden Project to Gwennap

Pollinator Pathmaker was originally commissioned by and planted at the Eden Project. Gardens have since gone in at sites in London and Berlin, and at a community project in Constantine, near Falmouth. Trevince adds another to the Cornwall map.

Planted for pollinators’ eyes

The garden at Trevince was planted in February and is now reaching peak perfection for insects such as hoverflies, moths, butterflies, wasps and flies, along with many species of bees, all of which form the basis of a thriving garden.

“This project sets out to design a planting as a pollinator might have planned it and I love that idea,” said Head Gardener Colin Skelly. “We can and do plant with pollinators in mind, but this planting takes it to a new level. Insect pollinators often see entirely different colours to those that we see. Their eyes sense different parts of the colour spectrum, including ultraviolet light. This reveals markings on flowers that are invisible to us, guiding them to the prized pollen and nectar.”

An estate built on old mining ground

Trevince was first mentioned in 1281, and the family has been there ever since. The walled garden is probably 18th century in origin, and the parkland dates from around the same time. In the 19th century, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias became a mainstay, with sub-tropical plants around the lawns making the most of the mild climate. The front of the house was rebuilt in 1866 to a design by the prolific Cornish architect James Piers St Aubyn.

Beyond the garden lies a wilderness walk and woodland, planted on the industrial waste of old tin and copper workings. The Trevince and Beauchamp families were mine and mineral owners from at least the Tudor period.

Visiting the garden

“Trevince not only offers an outdoor sanctuary to connect with nature and boost wellbeing, but also provides an opportunity to learn from experts how to garden more productively by attracting pollinators, creating habitats and growing crops,” explains owner Richard Stone. “We hope that garden lovers from across Cornwall will join us in welcoming Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg to declare our Pollinator Pathmaker garden open, experience the colours, scents and sounds as they change throughout the seasons, find out how we are gardening for food, fun and the future, and share our vision for this enduring place.”

Trevince Gardens are open to plant lovers, curious souls and well-behaved dogs on leads on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays until 27 September, from 10am to 4pm. A programme of talks and demonstrations by horticultural experts runs throughout the season, and the Cart Shed Café serves home-made treats using produce from the Walled Garden.

Tickets for adults are £10 per visit or £30 for the season, and £2 per visit for under 16s. More information about the gardens, café and events is at www.trevince.co.uk.

📷Credit: Richard Stone