Polkerris Cornwall
Polkerris is one of those Cornish places that feels like a secret even to those who know Cornwall well. Tucked into a south-facing cove on the western shore of St Austell Bay, the village is reached down a single narrow lane that gives little away until the beach, the old harbour wall and the cluster of whitewashed cottages appear below. It is small, quiet and exceptionally beautiful and the properties that sit above and around the cove, looking out across the bay towards the Gribbin Head and the open sea beyond, are among the most sought-after in mid Cornwall.
Designing for a South-Facing Cove
Polkerris enjoys conditions that are unusual even by Cornish standards. The south-facing aspect and the shelter provided by the headlands on either side of the bay create a warm, protected microclimate that extends the growing season and opens up a planting palette well beyond what is possible on the more exposed stretches of the Cornish coast. Combined with the extraordinary views across St Austell Bay, which shift constantly with the light and the tide, this makes for garden design work that is as much about framing and holding a view as it is about planting and hard landscaping.
Properties here tend to sit on steeply sloping ground above the cove, which brings its own design challenges. Terracing, retaining structures and carefully considered levels are frequently required to create usable outdoor spaces on plots that can drop sharply from the house towards the sea. Benedict’s background in civil engineering gives him a particular confidence with this kind of technically demanding terrain, understanding how to manage slope, drainage and structural elements while keeping the garden feeling natural and connected to its landscape.
The Wider Area
We work throughout this stretch of the South Cornwall coast, including Par, Carlyon Bay, Charlestown, Fowey, Polruan and the villages of the Gribbin peninsula. If you are considering a garden project in Polkerris or the surrounding area, we would love to visit the site and talk through your ideas.