NATIONAL Trust staff, volunteers and for the first time, members of the public at Cotehele, are just starting the painstaking process of creating the longest Christmas garland at any trust property in the country.

Some 30,000 flowers have been grown, picked and dried in the garden at Cotehele and will now be added one by one to create a stunning 60ft garland — which forms an integral part of the Christmas display at the property.

Every November, the historic house opens to the public so visitors can watch staff and volunteers putting the garland together.

It takes the team at Cotehele more than 600 hours to pick all 30,000 flowers required.

The spectacular result can be seen daily through December, except December 25 and 26.

Dave Bouch, head gardener at Cotehele, said: 'Each year the garland is different, depending on which of the specially grown flowers have done well during our summer.

'What will also be different this year is that we will be encouraging members of the public to help us create this magnificent garland.

'This year, as always has been a very difficult growing year but for different reasons — with a cold dry start to the year we did not start picking our flowers until late June and in previous year we have started to pick on April 1. So as you can imagine a small amount of worry from the garden team.'

'I am very pleased with this year's crop and really excited to start work on this project.'

The garland will take two weeks to complete.