Cliff Bungalows

The gardens at Cliff Bungalows sit right on the edge of things, literally - you're looking out over the Cornish coast with Hayle tucked below. It's a proper coastal garden, the kind where plants have to be tough enough to handle salt spray and Atlantic winds. Walk through and you get a real sense of what grows well in this part of the world: hardy shrubs, grasses that don't mind being battered, the sort of palette that local gardeners actually work with rather than some fantasy version of Eden.

This works best for anyone interested in how gardens adapt to their environment. Coastal gardeners will find it instructive. Families visiting Haven Riviere Sands, just up the road, might pop by if they've got an hour to kill on a decent day, though young kids won't spend long here - it's more for the plot-obsessed adults than anyone after a play area. The views are the real draw: you get the garden itself, yes, but mainly you get that view. On a clear day it's quite something. On a grey day it's atmospheric.

Entry details aren't widely advertised, so ring ahead if you're planning to visit. Allow 45 minutes to an hour depending on how much you want to linger. Best in late spring when things are in their prime, or early autumn when the light gets better. It's tucked away enough that you won't stumble on it by accident, so worth planning if coastal gardens are your thing.