Secret Gardens

Explore beautiful gardens in Fowey, Polruan and Bodinnick during Friday 17 and 18 May 2024

Discover some of the Fowey estuary’s hidden gems – from gardens with spectacular views, to secluded havens, walled gardens, hidden terraces and much more. Follow the trail to uncover a glorious mix of vibrant gardens with a diverse variety of planting. 

Copies of the Secret Gardens map will be available from the Festival box office, located in the Royal Fowey Yacht Club, during the Festival open days (May 10th -18th) as well as local shops and galleries in Fowey, Polruan and Bodinnick during Fowey Festival week. 

Opera in the garden

This year for Secret Gardens, we are delighted to welcome Thomas Martyn, who will be performing four operatic interludes at Porphyry Hall garden and Broadstairs garden in Fowey. 

An impressive tenor and graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under the tutelage of Adrian Thompson, Thomas now performs at charity events around the country. He has taken on a variety of roles in amateur theatre productions, such as Tom Collins in R.E.N.T., Val Jean in Les Miserables and Don Jose in Carmen. 

Thomas will be performing two twenty-minute sets on both Friday and Saturday. No tickets are necessary, but access will be capacity controlled on a first-arrivals basis.

Set timings:       

Friday 17 May: 
Broadstairs garden: 1pm – 1.20pm
Porphyry Hall garden: 4pm – 4.20pm   

Saturday 18 May:          
Broadstairs garden: 4pm – 4.20pm
Porphyry Hall garden: 1pm – 1.20pm   

Both gardens will be offering tea, coffee and cake throughout the day. 
All donations & refreshment proceeds will go to the Festival. 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the steep nature of the area, some gardens may have difficult access. Visitors may also encounter a range of hazards e.g. steps, slippery and/or uneven ground, and other trip hazards. Neither the Festival nor the garden owner can accept any liability in the unlikely event of an accident. Please make a risk assessment of your and your group’s capability to safely manage these risks before deciding to enter a garden. Thank you

Proud sponsor of Fowey Festival of Arts & Literature, Secret Gardens 2024