Being a student in Cornwall has taught me many things. One is that the population is predominantly made up of people of retirement age, many of whom have never left the county, and not so many cool surfer bums like I first anticipated. The second is that this place is full of hidden treasures, and I mean hidden. Not even the aforementioned lifelong locals know about them all. I suppose anywhere has its secret gems, but Cornwall just seems to have a few more than most. 

One of my most recent discoveries was a public garden near Newquay. Now if there is one thing that this corner of the country has an abundance of, it's public gardens. Which is great for an easy day out, but not always particularly exciting or memorable. However, the Japanese Garden in St Mawgan is one of a kind.  Now I'm not exaggerating when I say this place is tucked away in the middle of nowhere;  this is a very unassuming, classic countryside village, accessible only by long winding roads which get narrower and narrower as you near the destination. So of course it makes perfect sense to set up an authentic oriental experience here. 

This garden is truly beautiful. It's not very big, approximately one acre, but there are twists and turns all over the site, providing a tangible sense of adventure. The stunning variety of plants are accompanied by expertly crafted structures, providing the traditional combination of natural beauty and human refinement that Japanese Gardens are renowned for. My friends and I went in late October, just before they closed for the winter season. This meant that we just caught the last of the vibrant autumnal tones which were particularly impressive. I can't wait to go back in the spring to see the blossom that is so synonymous with Japanese landscaping.