The Cornwall Garden Society (CGS) and the Cornwall Gardens Trust (CGT) have merged to become a stronger and more effective force for horticultural good in the county.

A society for horticulture in Cornwall has been in existence, in one form or another, since 1832.

The owners of Cornwall’s grand gardens and country estates organised spring flower shows from the 1890s but in 1958, the CGS emerged with a broader remit: to share knowledge of gardens and gardening in Cornwall with a wider audience through lectures, workshops and garden visits, an ethos that prevails today. The CGS is now a thriving charity with more than 800 members and its own Spring Flower Show attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The CGT was formed in 1988 to raise awareness of the county’s garden heritage and to conserve and foster it for the benefit of present and future generations. Its merger with the CGS enables this important strand of work not simply to continue but to grow.

Jonathon Croggon, Pen Polglase and Richard Stone, who previously served as CGT Trustees, have been appointed to the CGS Board, and the CGS has established an Historic Gardens Committee to develop this vital aspect.

Nationally, The Gardens Trust is the statutory consultee for development projects and planning applications that could impact on sites within the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. In Cornwall, the CGS Historic Gardens Committee will be The Gardens Trust’s local representative, with responsibility for evaluating and reporting on any proposed works that might affect registered gardens and plays an important role in protecting Cornwall’s garden heritage.

“This merger adds real value to the CGS in strengthening our stewardship of Cornwall’s horticultural legacy, enriching our understanding and increasing our reach by adding a further historical dimension,” explains CGS Chairman, Martin Petherick.

“We warmly welcome Jonathan, Pen and Richard to our Board of Trustees as well as all those CGT members who now join us. We also look forward to encouraging even more people to appreciate the exceptional quality of Cornish gardens – from the historic to the contemporary, from the coastal to the sub-tropical – with their extraordinary colour and tender plants from around the globe.”

“We are delighted that the CGT has now merged with the CGS and that Cornwall will benefit as a result,” adds newly-appointed CGS Trustee, Pen Polglase. “The Historic Gardens Committee will also continue research into the designed parks and gardens of Cornwall; recognise the importance of contemporary garden and landscape design, and contribute to Kresen Kernow’s growing archive of significant horticultural history.”

To become part of Cornwall’s vibrant horticultural community and join the CGS, please visit www.cornwallgardensociety.org.uk/join/

To find out more about the historic and conservation work of the CGS, email historic@cornwallgardensociety.org.uk or conservation@cornwallgardensociety.org.uk