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Duchy College, near Camborne, is offering a brand new part-time course this spring called The History of Plant Hunting and Plant Exploration' that will give students the chance to learn how the more exotic species of plants arrived into Cornwall, and the unique role that its gardens played in the establishment of plants new to Britain and wider Europe.

Anyone who has walked through any of the Cornish gardens will probably have been somehow stirred by the kind of otherworld atmosphere created by the assembly of striking and exotic plants that they have passed amongst. The gardens seem to blend into the Cornish countryside as if the imported plants are part of the Duchy's native flora. Imagine the beauty of these plants seen in their natural environment; in Japan, or in the mountains of Bhutan? How would it feel to discover something new for the first time? Whether people have known these gardens all their lives, or come to them only recently, they may have wondered just how they came to be and this new course will explain just that.

Students on the course will have the opportunity to trace the history of plant hunting, as well as learning about current developments in plant exploration, with a guest lecture from a current exponent. They can also explore the role and development of institutions such as Kew Botanic Gardens and The Royal Horticultural Society.

Programme manager for the course, Jo Astridge commented, "This course is really exciting for anyone who is interested in the rich wealth of plants in Cornwall and beyond. Aside from all of the practical work and garden visits, there will be an online element to the course, providing tutorial support, and the chance to communicate with other course members. This makes it ideal for people who don't want to attend college on a week-day basis, or who would like to enrich their weekend garden visits with the chance to dig a bit deeper."

"The History of Plant Hunting and Plant Exploration' will be run throughout the spring and summer, starting in April 2008 and finishing in September, being held over four weekends during these months. One day in each weekend will give students the opportunity to visit gardens in Cornwall for study tours. Some of these will be well-known sites, such as Caerhays, with its link with George Forrest, and others will be lesser-known, private gardens; Tregrehan and Tregothnan, which are still in receipt of new species. Penjerrick will also feature; a fantastic paradise of unrecorded plants, developed by the Fox family in the nineteenth century."

Dates for the face to face study and garden visits are as follows: Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th April.

Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May.

Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June.

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September.

For more information telephone 01209 722100.

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