THE secrets behind making Cotehele’s famous giant Christmas garland have been revealed in this series of photographs.

The National Trust staff and volunteers are shown bunching together green-leafed twigs for making the long base of the spectacular colourful 60ft dried flower display which celebrates its seventieth anniversary this year.

The attraction has decorated the great hall at the property in the Tamar Valley every Christmas since 1956, with about 30,000 visiting.

What began as a purely evergreen decoration has grown into a major attraction, with months of planning and the work of staff and volunteers with a cumulative hundreds of thousands of flowers and countless hours of work. Visitors can watch the 60-ft garland being assembled until Thursday, November 19.

Garden staff at National Trust Cotehele cheering as they reach an early target with the base green of their famous Christmas garland. Picture Chris Cottrell.
Garden staff at National Trust Cotehele cheering as they reach an early target with the green base of their famous Christmas garland. Picture: Chris Cottrell. (Chris Cottrell)
Garden staff at National Trust Cotehele carrying the long base of their popular Christmas garland made with greenery. Picture Chris Cottrell.
Garden staff at National Trust Cotehele carrying the long base of their popular Christmas garland made with greenery. Picture: Chris Cottrell. (Chris Cottrell)
Volunteers and garden staff at National Trust Cotehele secure green leafy plants together to create the long base of their famed Christmas garland attraction. Picture Chris Cottrell.
Volunteers and garden staff at the National Trust’s Cotehele secure green foliage together to create the long base of their famed Christmas garland. Picture: Chris Cottrell. (Chris Cottrell)
Volunteers and National Trust staff at Cotehele house and gardens sort through leafy twigs to create the long base of their annual Christmas garland attraction. Picture Chris Cottrell.
Volunteers and National Trust staff at Cotehele house and gardens sort through leafy twigs to create the long base of their annual Christmas garland attraction. Picture: Chris Cottrell. (Chris Cottrell)
Volunteers and garden staff at Cotehele house and gardens bunch leafy twigs to create the base of their annual festive garland attraction. Picture Chris Cottrell.
Bunching the foliage together to create the base of the garland. Picture: Chris Cottrell. (Chris Cottrell)