Tuesday March 3rd, spring has been officially declared in Cornwall now that seven champion Magnolia campbellii trees in leading gardens across the county are in full bloom.

Spring is being celebrated now that at least fifty blooms have been counted on the magnolia trees across the seven gardens. The gardens include Caerhays Castle Gardens, Trebah Garden, Tregothnan, Trewidden, Trewithen, Trengwainton and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Cornwall is the only place to see flowering magnolia trees in the UK at this time of year, signaling the true arrival of spring. The Nare, Cornwall’s highest rated hotel, has partnered with The Great Gardens of Cornwall to capture this spectacle.

Britain is spotting signs of spring with crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils popping up across the rest of the country, but it’s the Magnolia campbellii flowering in Cornwall that really signals the true start of spring.

Toby Ashworth, proprietor of The Nare Hotel and bespoke garden tour specialist, who has championed raising awareness of Cornwall’s Spring Story, said: “Thanks to the Gulf stream, Cornwall has an early start to spring; the county is the best place, and is considered the only place, to see the flowering magnolia trees in the UK at this time of year. It’s very exciting for everyone involved with the Great Gardens of Cornwall to officially countdown to spring and we’re very proud be leading the way across the country with this blooming spectacle.”

The Royal Horticultural Society has also joined the official countdown to chart the arrival of this year’s spring through the launch of a national survey. In partnership with The Nare Hotel and the Great Gardens of Cornwall, the RHS is asking gardeners from across the country to use the survey to capture when their own Magnolia campbellii trees bloom into flower. The results will be assessed by the RHS’ science team. The RHS survey can be completed at: rhs.org.uk/magnoliasurvey2015.

Find out more about the seven champion Magnolia campbellii trees and the head gardeners who look after them and keep up to date with their progress at: www.greatgardensofcornwall.co.uk/springstory or join in on Twitter @Gr8Gardens