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The award winning Lost Gardens of Heligan extend to some eighty acres of superb pleasure grounds together with a magnificent complex of walled gardens and a huge, productive vegetable garden, all fast returning to their former glory. Lying at the heart of one of the most mysterious estates in England, Heligan, the former seat of the Tremayne family, is now the site of the largest garden restoration in Europe. Its extraordinary plant collection together with a range of exotic glasshouses, working buildings, romantic structures and designed landscapes reflect the past passions and interests of the family. The combination of these and the mild Cornish climate has resulted in a garden (or in truth a series of gardens within a garden) which is unique. In its heyday, Heligan Manor was one of the glories of Cornwall. Almost completely self-sufficient, it had a number of farms, quarries, woods, a brickworks, a flour mill, a sawmill, a brewery, and productive orchards and kitchen gardens. Its land extending over a thousand acres, it was the centre of the community and supported 20 'inside' staff and up to 22 'outside' staff. The outbreak of war in 1914 ended this idyll. Many of the staff would perish in the mud of Flanders and although the Tremayne family returned after the war for a few years they finally tenanted the estate out to friends and moved away. Although basic maintenance was undertaken to the grounds around the house, the gardens gradually and gently went to sleep. One of the reasons Heligan is so valuable is that no major alterations had been carried out over this last century and all the vernacular and garden buildings remained untouched. There are very few examples of gardens which haven't been 'modernised' and Heligan provides a unique time capsule. Heligan restored provides a testament to the Victorian vision and ingenuity which first created this subtropical paradise. We hope that you will now enjoy finding out about the project and that you will feel inspired to come and see the real thing for yourself!
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