Burncoose Nurseries

Burncoose Nurseries: mail-order plants from a Cornish nursery

Burncoose Nurseries is a plant nursery business based at Gwennap, near Redruth in Cornwall, that specialises in supplying plants by mail order. The nursery states that it has been sending plants by post since 1984 and that its online catalogue currently lists over 4,000 plant varieties, a figure the site elsewhere rounds to more than 4,500 plants, trees, shrubs and garden accessories available when this profile was written.

The nursery and its gardens are open to visitors, and the wider site belongs to the Caerhays Estate, with which Burncoose shares its plant-breeding and collecting work.

What the catalogue covers

The range is organised around ornamental gardening rather than edible production. According to the company's own description, the listings include ornamental trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, alongside camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias. The online plant finder lets visitors filter by plant type, flower colour, soil conditions and sun requirements, which gives an idea of how the catalogue is structured.

• Alpines and rock plants, bamboos, bananas and palms
• Bulbs, corms and rhizomatous perennials, plus tuberous plants
• Climbers, conifers, ferns and ornamental grasses
• Dwarf, medium and tall shrubs, and trees
• Fruit, herbs, hedges and ground cover
• Succulents

Specialities bred at Caerhays and Burncoose

A distinct part of the offer is the group the nursery labels its specialities: plants bred and raised at Caerhays Castle Gardens or at Burncoose itself, drawn from the woodland gardens. This section covers azaleas, Caerhays-bred plants, camellias, hydrangeas and rhododendrons, and magnolias are split into selections for larger gardens and for smaller ones.

The company also reports having imported many rare and unusual new plants from overseas, particularly from China, Northern India and New Zealand.

Buying, packing and delivery

Orders are handled remotely: the site provides a printable order form, a catalogue request service and detailed delivery information, and the nursery states that plants are carefully selected and packed for dispatch. Separate pages explain packing methods and pot sizes so that buyers know what to expect when an order arrives. Gift vouchers, both Burncoose vouchers and National Garden Gift Vouchers, are also sold.

Advice and garden planning

Beyond selling plants, Burncoose publishes monthly gardening tips, plant care articles and video advice, and organises planting ideas by colour, by specific location and by plant characteristics. A free border design service is advertised, and the site includes guidance on combining plants. The nursery also offers a landscaping service, information for professional gardeners and trade customers, export information, plant propagation lectures and a look at its carbon footprint.

Shows, awards and the Caerhays connection

The nursery states that it returned to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for its 42nd year, and it maintains pages on shows and awards as well as a Caerhays Garden Diary. Visitors can tour the 30-acre gardens at the site, and the pop-up café there was listed as closed until the following year when this profile was written.

Visiting and trading details

Burncoose Nurseries operates from Burncoose House on the Caerhays Estate at Gwennap, Redruth, Cornwall. The nursery and gardens are open to the public, and the company can be reached by telephone or email for orders and enquiries. The site dates its copyright notice to the period 1997–2026.