Search for
Search for
Search for'Guardian angel' keeps rain away from garden
Tuesday, September 09, 2008, 15:03
Jean Hill, who regularly opens her Headland Garden in Polruan for charity on summer Thursday afternoons, had only one wet day from May to August, during this year's summer that never was.
"We had plenty of windy days," said Jean, "and one day it rained at 6pm, just as we were closing, but apart from that we have had a fantastic year and raised well over £6,000 for charity."
But how the open days escaped this year's terrible weather remains a mystery, though the garden flourishes in a special spot and has links with high places.
Situated on the seaward side of the village, the garden enjoys an almost subtropical microclimate in which palm trees, tree ferns, echium and other plants normally found in more southerly latitudes flourish.
It is also at the mouth of the river Fowey above a mass of low lying rocks with a tall wooden cross known as Punche's cross.
The cross was probably erected hundreds of years ago by the monks of Tywardreath to mark the limit of jurisdiction of their priory.
But according to legend, it has even holier associations and marks the spot where Jesus came to Britain as a boy with his Uncle Joseph of Arimathea, who traded in tin.
Nearly 2,000 adults and children put aside their umbrellas to visit the garden on its 18 open days this year, and in so doing helped to benefit the RNLI, as well as the National Gardens Scheme, National Coastwatch Institution, Cornwall Air Ambulance and the Children's Hospice South West's Precious Lives Appeal.
Other village charities and causes that have benefited have included Lanteglos parish churches and Polruan village hall.
This year's fundraising brings to well in excess of £40,000 that Jean has helped to raise in the 36 years she has lived in the house and opened her spectacular garden.
Jean said: "I'd like to thank the cake-makers and all the helpers who so nobly turned up, even in cold weather when nearly all of us were glad of a extra sweater, particularly Gus and Jinny Garrett who made sure that everything went well, all the tea supplies were available and all the furniture got cleared up at the end of the day!"
Headland Garden has been the subject of numerous gardening books and television programmes and was also the setting for the 1960s film Stolen Hours starring Susan Hayward.
Jean said: "Polruan often escapes the rain that falls on Fowey but we've had spectacularly bad weather this year, and the river has often run brown with mud that has streamed from Bodmin Moor.
"Thankfully Thursdays were not affected, but whether that's because there's someone protecting us, I just don't know!"
Jean Hill checks the skies for rain in her Headland Garden in Polruan. Picture: James Ram
Comment on this story