Think you know the Isles of Scilly? Think again. Tresco Gardens Isles of Sciliy. Tresco, the second-largest island in the archipelago, is not just a beautiful island getaway—it’s a world-class horticultural marvel, a haven for rare wildlife, and a living tribute to eccentric British garden-making at its finest.
And yes, it even has a heliport.
Step Off the Helicopter and Into Paradise
You can get to Tresco by boat from St Mary’s, but for the full James Bond arrival experience, take the 15-minute helicopter hop from Penzance. As you descend, the turquoise seas, white beaches, and patchwork of subtropical green are your first hint that you’re about to visit a very different sort of British island.
Tresco is privately leased from the Crown, and it shows—from the immaculate gardens and picture-perfect cottages (over 100 holiday lets) to the slick service and café cream teas. But there’s no need to feel excluded—visitors are warmly welcomed, and a day spent here is one to remember.
Abbey Gardens: Mediterranean Magic Meets British Eccentricity
Founded in the 1830s by Augustus Smith, Tresco Abbey Garden is now one of the world’s most celebrated botanical collections. Built around the ruins of a Benedictine abbey, the gardens climb steep granite terraces and face south, catching every drop of sun and sheltering plants that shouldn’t be growing anywhere near British shores.
South African proteas? Tick. New Zealand Christmas trees? You bet. (One particularly beloved specimen had to be nursed back to life after the great freeze of 1987—and it’s thriving once again.) Spiky aloes, rare cacti, fiery bougainvillaea and giant puyas all flourish in this subtropical bubble just 30 miles off Cornwall.
Even oak trees here are politely trimmed to 35-foot hedges so as not to shade the more delicate exotics below. How very Scillonian.
Of Pheasants and Figureheads
As you wander through bamboo groves and succulents of Tresco Gardens Isles of Sciliy, don’t be surprised to see a flash of extravagant plumage. The Lady Amherst’s pheasant—a dazzling, long-tailed bird native to China and Myanmar—makes an unexpected appearance here. Introduced to Britain in the 19th century by the formidable Sarah Amherst (after whom it was named), they’ve found sanctuary among the rhododendrons and palms of Tresco.
And just when you think things couldn’t get stranger, you stumble into Valhalla—an old stone barn turned museum housing one of the world’s quirkiest collections: over 30 ship figureheads salvaged from wrecks around the Isles. Some loom ten feet tall, others peer mournfully down at you. It’s magnificent, macabre, and utterly unmissable.
Red Squirrels: A Comeback Story
In a Britain where red squirrels have all but vanished, Tresco is quietly bringing them back. A reintroduction programme began with just 25 individuals—and now over 100 of these bushy-tailed treasures scamper through the pines and hop across your garden fence.
Keep your eyes peeled around the Abbey Gardens and woodlands—you’re likely to spot one foraging or sunbathing on a branch, without a grey squirrel in sight to bother them.
Cream Teas and Quiet Joys
All this wildlife and botanical splendour can be tiring. Thankfully, the Abbey Garden Café is a top-tier spot for refuelling. Grab a table under the trees and enjoy freshly baked scones with jam and cream, a good coffee, or even a cheeky glass of wine. You’ve earned it.
More Than Just Gardens
Tresco has no cars (only bikes and electric buggies), and no stress. You’ll find:
- Two white sand beaches you may have to yourself.
- Art galleries, delis, and island produce shops.
- Coastal walks with sweeping views across to Bryher and St Martin’s.
- Quiet woodlands where robins sing and the trees whisper.
For a tiny island, Tresco delivers big.
Know Before You Go
- Getting there: Helicopter from Penzance (15 mins) or boat from St Mary’s.
- Access: Day visitors welcome, but booking ahead is wise in peak season.
- Garden entry: Abbey Garden is open daily (entry fee applies).
- Red squirrel tip: Morning or evening is best for sightings.
- Bring: Good walking shoes, a camera, and your sense of wonder.
Final Thoughts
Tresco is part English eccentricity, part tropical dream, and wholly unlike anywhere else in the British Isles. Where else can you admire a Burmese pheasant, marvel at a Fijian fern, and eat a scone under a Spanish olive tree—while red squirrels frolic overhead?
Tresco isn’t just an island. It’s a blooming, feathered, shipwreck-salvaged, squirrel-filled wonderland.