Visit Caerhays Castle Spring Gardens
Monday 10th February – Sunday 8th June 2025
10:00 – 17:00
Last tickets 1 hrs before closing.
For groups, prior booking is essential, please phone for details.
Private beach open to the public all year round.
Contact
Caerhays Castle Gardens
Estate Office
Caerhays
Gorran
St Austell
Cornwall PL26 6LY
t:01872 501310
e:[email protected]
w:https://visit.caerhays.co.uk/
Facilities
Dogs Allowed on leads
Plants and Shrubs for sale
Partial disabled access
Toilets on site or nearby
Special group rates.
Refreshments
Car or coach park
Accommodation available at www.caerhaysholidays.co.uk
Prices
Adult £12.50
Children (5 – 16) £5.00
Children (Under 5) Free
Tours
The castle is also open (weekdays only) from the 3rd March – 8th June 2025 for guided tours only. Please telephone (01872 501310) or check visit.caerhays.co.uk for more information and to make a reservation as numbers are restricted.
Group accommodation at https://www.caerhaysholidays.co.uk/home/the-vean/
Group tours can also be arranged out of season.
About Caerhays Castle Spring Gardens

Caerhays, an informal woodland garden overlooking the sea and extending to over 140 acres is owned by the Williams family. The origins of the garden can be traced back to the work of the Chinese plant hunters at the turn of the Century and many of their new plant introductions can still be seen in maturity in the garden today.
Caerhays is home to the x williamsii camellia hybrids but is perhaps best known for its huge, Asiatic magnolias which are usually in their prime in March and April. Caerhays hosts the Plant Heritage National Collection of Magnolias with over 600 different varieties on show. There are also over 80 UK record sized trees in the gardens as measured by height and girth.
The garden at Caerhays has a unique microclimate. The prevailing and frequently westerly gales rage over the top of the sheltered garden. Sea mists bathe the woodland in moisture and humidity which is very suited to the Chinese mountain habitats from which so many magnolias and rhododendrons originate.
In addition the rich acidic soil is ideal for growing ericaceous plants. Just as many would regard the castle as an ugly building without its setting in the Luney valley, so the gardens themselves would also be impossible to replicate if set in a less favourable environment.

The Caerhays Garden Diary
A Cornish Garden Diary from Caerhays Estate over 100 years
Transcribed entries from The Caerhays Garden Diary dating back to 1897, tracing noteworthy events from the garden over the generations.
To read the up to date Garden Diary visit https://thediary.caerhays.co.uk/.
To see and listen to Charles Williams’s latest fascinating Garden Vlogs visit https://visit.caerhays.co.uk/category/news/

FAQ’s
Is there coach access?
Is the castle open?
Are you suitable for wheelchairs?
Is there parking?
Do you do weddings?
Caerhays is a popular wedding venue offering several different options please call our dedicated wedding team on 01872 501310 or visit https://visit.caerhays.co.uk/weddings for more information.
Is there accommodation available?
Caerhays Estate has a number of top quality self catering holiday cottages close to the castle and in the nearby villages of Caerhays, East and West Portholland. The Vean, our luxurious country house in the heart of the estate is also available for up to 16 guests for short or long self catering stays. For more information please telephone 01872 501310 or visit https://www.caerhaysholidays.co.uk/home/the-vean/