Behind the scenes at The Gardeners’ House, something transformative is happening.
Our collection and archive – the heart of our Living Archive work – is being carefully reviewed, cleaned, catalogued and digitised, ensuring it remains accessible, relevant and inspiring for years to come.
While much of this work takes place away from public view, it is really important to the quality of the experience we offer visitors, researchers and our wider community.
A Dedicated Team of Volunteers
Our Collections Manager, Emily, is currently supported by five regular volunteers who are each working on different aspects of the collection. Their generosity of time and expertise is invaluable and we offer them our heartfelt thanks for all of their support. Between them, they have been:
- Digitising historic photographs and documents
- Listing and cataloguing books
- Cleaning and caring for collection items
- Transcribing the Morrab Memories audio files
Each task contributes to a larger plan to make our collections easier to discover, explore and use. Digitisation opens up fragile materials to a wider audience. Transcriptions make oral histories searchable and accessible. Careful cataloguing allows us to understand what we hold and how it connects to the stories of people and place.
It may not always be the most visible work, but it is essential work that makes exhibitions, research and creative projects possible.
Quality Over Quantity
As part of this process, we have also been reviewing parts of the book collection. Like many heritage organisations, we have inherited a wide range of material over the years. Our focus now is on ensuring that what we hold is closely aligned with our purpose and tells the strongest possible story about horticulture, community and Cornwall.
By carefully refining the collection, we are creating space – both physically and intellectually – for items that are unique, relevant and meaningful. Once this process is complete, we will be better placed to collect and care for material that truly enriches our archive.
With limited storage space, it’s important that every item earns its place. The result will be a more focused, higher-quality experience for visitors and researchers alike.
New Acquisitions and Future Possibilities
Although we are not actively seeking new acquisitions at present, we have welcomed a small number of thoughtful donations. Among them are mid-twentieth-century receipts and records from a flower farm on the Isles of Scilly – a fascinating glimpse into Cornwall’s historic flower industry.
Discoveries like these remind us why this careful collection work matters. They open up possibilities for exhibitions, interpretation and creative responses rooted in real stories.
As our archive becomes more organised and accessible, we are increasingly able to draw out themes and connections that can shape future displays and events. The archive is not static; it is a living resource that continues to inform and inspire our programme.
February Focus: Daffodils and New Growth
This month, we are bringing some of that archival work into the public eye.
As part of our February theme of celebrating new growth, we have created a small exhibition exploring Cornwall’s daffodil industry. Drawing on selected books from the collection, alongside newly acquired farm records, the display tells part of the story of daffodil cultivation and its place in Cornwall’s horticultural history.
These archival materials are shown alongside pots of growing daffodils and freshly cut flowers – connecting the written record to the living plant.
It’s a small example of how the living archive at the Gardeners’ House works in practice: research, collections and contemporary experience brought together in one space.
A Living Archive
Our archive is not simply a store of objects. It is an evolving record of horticulture, landscape and community. Every photograph digitised, every book catalogued and every oral history transcribed strengthens our ability to share these stories more widely.
We’re deeply grateful to our volunteers for helping us build this foundation. Their work is shaping the future of the Gardeners’ House in ways that visitors may not immediately see, but will certainly feel.
If you’d like to learn more about our Living Archive work, you can find out more here:
And do look out for the daffodil display in the House this February – a reminder that even in the quietest months, growth is already underway.