Seven decades of a festive tradition
What began in 1956 as an idea for an evergreen swag has become the highlight of Christmas in the Tamar Valley. Every year, around 30,000 people visit Cotehele to see the garland hanging in the Great Hall, and for many families it’s the moment the Christmas countdown begins.
Visitor Experience Manager Rich Burrow said: “The anniversary marks an unbelievable achievement. Seventy years of the garland represents hundreds of thousands of flowers, countless hours of work and immeasurable festive joy brought to the Valley over the decades. We couldn’t be prouder to be carrying on this tradition.”
A year in the making
Every flower in the garland is grown, dried and arranged at Cotehele, and the work starts long before winter. The team chose this year’s colours and ordered the seeds last December.
Building the garland itself takes 10 days, with the whole garden team and around 30 volunteers working together. Dave Bouch, Head Gardener for National Trust in the Tamar Valley, said: “There are dozens of steps but we have it down to a fine art. After a year of preparation, we form the body of the garland out of fresh pittosporum. Then that ‘worm’ is hoisted into the eaves of the Great Hall before it’s decorated from scaffold towers with our home-grown dried flowers. It’s been built almost the same way for decades by generations of gardeners, which is quite something to think about.”
Passing those skills on to the next generation matters to Dave. “Welcoming new members of the team like our colleague Ethan reminds us how important it is to pass on skills and knowledge. After all, it’s his generation that will help create the garland in the decades to come. I hope he’s bringing his notebook!”
Why platinum?
For the anniversary, gardener Kayleigh Lyle has chosen flowers that catch the light like precious metal. “This year, we had to go platinum. I wanted the garland to gently glint like the metal, and the honesty and German statice we’ve added should bring that shine. What could be more of a celebration of 70 years than a garland worth more than gold?”
She added: “We’re so grateful for all the staff and volunteers who have made this incredible tradition possible for seven whole decades.”
Watch the garland take shape
Building begins on Monday 9th November, and you can watch the gardeners at work until 19th November. On the first day, they make the pittosporum base outside, then the work moves into the Great Hall as the dried flowers go in. To give the team space, most of the house is closed during the build, so check the Christmas garland event listing before you go.
See the finished garland
The finished garland hangs in the Great Hall daily from Saturday 21st November 2026 to Tuesday 5th January 2027, 10.30am to 4pm (closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day). It’s at the heart of Cotehele’s Christmas, alongside a new exhibition celebrating 70 years of the tradition and decorated rooms on the ground floor.
