A VIBRANT field of flowers just outside Liskeard is bringing joy to visitors – and raising funds for two good causes.

Everyone who visits the field at Pengover Green can pick up a ‘flower spotting guide’ to help identify the blooms on display. Donations are requested for the charity Young Lives Vs Cancer, as well as towards a defibrillator for the village.

The Martin family have been behind the Tregartha Farm flower field, which has grown in popularity over the last three years, as Olivia explains: “Along with the farm the family also runs Roskilly & Henwood Ltd, ?a grass seed business selling grass and forage seed to the local farming community, along with lawn seed mixes to the general public, pony paddocks, and sports field pitches.?

“The business was started in 1924 by Mary Roskilly and her husband Charles with Mary’s brother William Henwood.

“It’s still in the family and it’s now Charles and Mary’s grandchildren, Francis Martin of Tregartha, and Alison Melhuish of Trewolland Farm, and their families, running the business.”

Along with grass seed mixes, many of the companies the business trades with sell flower mixes.

In 2019, the family decided to sow a small plot in the field to see what it would come out like.?The feedback from everyone was overwhelming, and the field was opened one afternoon to raise money for the Church.?

A chance visit on that same Sunday by local artist Nicola Plummer led to her uploading a video of the field onto social media.?

The clip went viral and currently has 9.2 million views along with enquiries to buy the seed mix from all over the world including the USA, India and Canada!

The Martin family had such brilliant feedback that a new strip of flowers was sown in 2020 and £1,000 was raised for charity.

As well as this, the supplier that the family buys the seeds from - - LG seeds - also donated pots of flower seeds in the Spring.

"We distributed these to schools and community groups in the local area to sow their own flower areas," says Olivia.

“This year at Tregartha Farm, the flowers have come back to the original field with over an acre stretching around the outside of the field,” she continues.

“The comments and praise from everyone who has visited continues to be overwhelming, along with the donations. This year it’s going towards Young Lives Vs Cancer and a defibrillator to be situated in the village of Pengover Green. The wet and windy weather this last weekend has knocked a lot of the flowers over, but there are still plenty more flowers coming through for the display.”

Directions – head to Pengover Green, just outside of Liskeard. When in the village at the crossroads take the lane opposite the blue house: the field is immediately on the junction as you turn down the lane. There is a grassy area where drivers are asked to park in the field.

A few rules to keep everyone’s visit enjoyable:

n Please do not trample through the flowers, we want to keep them here for the season for everyone to enjoy and the pollinators to utilise.

n Please remember that the field contains a working crop, the barley growing is to be harvested and used as a feed and bedding for our cows on our farm.

n Dogs and responsible owners are welcome, but please keep them under control.

n Any dog mess must be picked up