Step back in time and lose yourself in Europe's largest garden restoration; a world of romance, nostalgia and adventure awaits your discovery.
Heligan is a true secret garden. Established in the 18th century, the garden thrived until 1914, when the outbreak of WW1 meant many of the garden's workers left to fight in the trenches. The garden was then lost for decades, until it was rediscovered in 1990.
The vegetable and flower garden are the stage for a glorious array of traditional crops and growing methods. Learn about exotic glasshouse fruits and Victorian crop rotation, and discover atmospheric working buildings, offering an intriguing insight into a lost world.
We spent most of our time there exploring the Victorian productive gardens, which encompass the vegetable and flower gardens. The variety and scale of produce was wonderful to see… courgettes, beans, peas, onions, salads, squashes, strawberries and pears all jostled for space, ready to supply the tearoom with fresh, seasonal produce. The most extraordinary greenhouse I have ever seen is home to peaches, apricots and grapes. In the flower garden, swathes of sweet peas danced alongside colourful cornflowers, cosmos, agapanthus, verbena, foxgloves and roses.
This exuberant garden hosts a riot of luxuriant foliage, outstanding trees, exotic plantings and inspiring views, drawing the imagination on a journey from our temperate shores.
In contrast to the formality of the productive gardens, the jungle hosts a steep, sub-tropical valley. In this microclimate, bamboo, banana plantations, giant rhubarb, tree ferns and palms tower above the walkways. The wider estate is home to pastureland where Dexter cattle roam, and woodlands where Heligan timber is planked at the sawmill and used in the wood project to produce furniture and decorative items or turned into charcoal.
Huge thanks to The Lost Garden of Heligan, who gifted us tickets to the gardens. As always, views expressed are entirely my own and we would thoroughly recommend visiting this beautiful garden.
Giveaway
The Lost Gardens of Heligan have generously offered Weald readers the chance to win a family ticket to the gardens (2 adults and up to 3 children, valid for one year) as well as a copy of 'The Lost Gardens of Heligan' by Tim Smit. To win, follow the instructions below. The giveaway is open worldwide and closes on 10th August 2015 when a winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
INFO
The Lost Gardens of Heligan website
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All of it
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle! Haven't been for years. The kids have never been and would LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteThe vegetable garden
ReplyDeletetropical jungle,would love to see it
ReplyDeleteI am not entering because I would not make it to Heligan in the next 12 months, but I wanted to say what a wonderful place it is isn't it! We have been before. xx
ReplyDeletei would love to visit there when we go on holiday to Cornwall next year
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a good look at the walled garden where all the fruit and veg are grown- especially where the pineapples grow.
ReplyDeleteThe jungle
ReplyDeleteThe tropical jungle sounds great! :) x
ReplyDeleteI watched the TV programme about this garden several years ago and always wanted to visit.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful gardens
ReplyDeletewow
ReplyDeleteThis is on my list of places I want to visit so would love to see it all
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle
ReplyDeleteThe jungle.
ReplyDeleteJungle
ReplyDeletehow wonderful they rediscovered the gardens and restored them so beautifully
ReplyDeleteI really want to take my twin boys there to search for the living statues. They are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAll looks amazing, however I always gravitate towards the vegetable garden. Would love to see.
ReplyDeletethe tropical jungle sounds incredible
ReplyDeleteThe fruit and veggie part of the garden.
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle!
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle in the sub tropical valley.
ReplyDeleteThe Tropical Jungle looks fun
ReplyDeleteGreat day out!
ReplyDeletethe jungle xx
ReplyDeleteThe Jungle(^-^)
ReplyDeletethe jungle probably the most interesting but would love all of it
ReplyDeleteLooks fabulous
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place to explore and enjoy, this one has been on my visit list for ages!
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit all of it. I've had friends that have visited and it has been highly recommended, so a visit is definitely on my to do list x
ReplyDeletetropical jungle,would love to see it
ReplyDeleteAh I love it there - we visited in the late Autumn and fell in love with it instantly. Will have to return in the Summer months sometime. As always, totally in love with your photography x
ReplyDeleteI am such a sucker for Victorian Gardens - one day when I am over from France I must make it to Heligan.
ReplyDeleteAh I love this post. And I love Heligan - we've been twice and I could go again tomorrow (well actually I can't as I'm in London, but you know what I mean!) :) #hdygg
ReplyDelete