The Lost Gardens of Heligan

The Lost Gardens of Heligan tell one of the great restoration stories of British horticulture. For decades, the extensive pleasure grounds and productive gardens of the Tremayne family estate lay abandoned and overgrown, lost beneath brambles and fallen trees after the estate’s gardeners left for the trenches of the First World War. Rediscovered in 1990 by Tim Smit and John Willis, the gardens have been meticulously restored and are now one of the most popular botanical attractions in the country.

The gardens cover over 200 acres and are divided into distinct areas. The Productive Gardens include restored Victorian glasshouses, a pineapple pit, melon houses, and walled gardens growing heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables using traditional methods. The Pleasure Grounds feature ornamental planting, an Italian garden, a ravine walk, and a crystal grotto. The Jungle, a steep subtropical valley, is planted with giant tree ferns, bamboo, palms and banana plants that thrive in the sheltered, frost-free microclimate.

Beyond the cultivated areas, the wider estate includes ancient woodland, farmland managed using traditional techniques, and a network of walking paths that lead down to the coast. The gardens also house the famous Mud Maid and Giant’s Head sculptures, living land art pieces that change with the seasons. Heligan is a place where horticultural skill, historical narrative and landscape beauty are woven together with real care.