Climate change
A thick layer of ice covered the ponds at Trewithen, as the estate’s gardeners braved the winter chill to clear the snow which had blanketed paths and squashed shrubs. It was January 7, and the temperature in the gardens was minus 7C – just as it had been exactly 12 months before.
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Cornish hedges
The hedges, unique to Cornwall, are not just a haven for a wide variety of wildflowers — and insects — but also a much-loved and breathtakingly beautiful feature of the landscape. And this month, they are at their most enchanting. Every May, they burst into multi-coloured bloom to herald the arrival of spring.
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Cornwall Red Squirrel Project
A broadleaved woodland at the Trewithen Estate was in fine shape until it was destroyed by a gang of grey squirrels, not much more than a decade after it was planted. The loss of the wood, which covered almost four acres, led to Trewithen becoming a breeding site for red squirrels.
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Green waste
A large truck laden with logs, leaves and grass cuttings is approaching the weigh bridge at Splattenridden Farm, home of the Green Waste Company. Earlier this morning, the greenery was gathered from properties in Penzance as part of Cornwall Council’s kerbside collection service, and its arrival at the farm near Hayle is the first stage in a recycling process.
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Invasive plants
Masses of yellow and crimson flowers, from a succulent known affectionately in Cornwall as “Sally-me-ansum”, stage a spectacular springtime show when they carpet the cliffs close to Lizard Point. And at the height of summer, clumps of bright orange montbretia bring a welcome touch of seasonal colour to many a drab roadside verge throughout the county.
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