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A well earned lunch break

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Expert gardener Peter Borlase, from Bodmin, has been presented with the Cornwall Garden Society’s Goodman Cup in recognition of his outstanding achievements in Cornish horticulture.

Now in his eighties, Peter has enjoyed a long and exceptionally distinguished career in gardening that resulted in a British Empire Medal from the Queen on his retirement in 1993.  The Royal Horticultural Society made him an Associate of Honour in 1989 – the highest distinction awarded to a working gardener – and he has won many other medals along the way.

Peter was about 13 and a pupil at St Agnes School when he discovered the gardening passion that would last for a lifetime.  The headmaster at the time allocated a plot to each boy for vegetable growing as part of the nation’s wartime Dig for Victory campaign (the girls’ job was to cook them when they were ready) and Peter’s green-fingered talent was soon spotted.  Taking note of his headmaster’s suggestion that he might like to consider gardening as a full-time career, he grabbed the opportunity to become an apprentice at Trelissick estate near Truro in 1953 when his brother-in-law, also a gardener, had to turn the job down.

Hard work and a real desire to learn as much as possible resulted in Peter working his way up from apprentice to assistant head gardener during the next 11 years.  Five job offers were the motivation to move on – including two from abroad (British Columbia and New Zealand) and one from Lanhydrock.  It was the latter that caught his eye.

“It appealed because I was told that I would have a free hand in sorting out the gardens,” said Peter.  “They were in a bit of a state so it was a great challenge.”

Peter spent the next 27 years transforming Lanhydrock’s gardens into one of the most popular and admired gardens in the National Trust’s portfolio.  His wife Gwen also helped make a difference by establishing a cafe selling cream teas in the estate’s thatched cottage – the very first catering operation on any National Trust property.

Since retiring, Peter has continued his busy lifestyle – volunteering as a driver to deliver Lanhydrock nursery plants and generously sharing his knowledge and experience with other gardeners.  He has also been an active member of the CGS and will be the ornamental trees and shrubs judge at their 100th Spring Flower Show at Boconnoc Estate near Lostwithiel on 31 March and 1 April next year.

“Peter can justifiably be described as Cornwall’s senior head gardener,” said CGS Chairman Andrew Leslie.  “He has made a huge contribution to Cornish gardens in his long career and awarding him the Goodman Cup is our way of showing how much we appreciate everything he’s done.”

CGS President Lady Banham presented Peter with the cup at the society’s AGM in Truro Methodist Chapel.

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