Chris and I have just got back from an impromptu minibreak on Cornwall’s south coast – a beautiful landscape of tidal creeks, secluded coves, wooded valleys and windswept headlands that we always enjoy visiting. I’ve added some new finds from the trip to my existing posts about the area, but today I’m sharing an in-depth look at a place that’s become a firm Cornish favourite for both of us: the Lost Gardens of Heligan, located near the fishing village of Mevagissey, a few miles from St Austell.
Formerly the estate of the Tremayne family, Heligan’s sprawling gardens fell into disrepair after many of the staff lost their lives during the First World War. They lay forgotten and overgrown for decades, until record producer Tim Smit (who later went on to develop the Eden Project) stumbled across them in the late 1980s. Assisted by volunteers, he set about restoring them to their former glory and today there are more than 200 acres to explore.
I actually first visited the gardens at the age of 14, during a family holiday to Mevagissey. My parents had wanted to see them for years, but my brothers and I somewhat ruined the experience by acting like typical teenagers and sulking for most of the day (sorry, Mum and Dad). Now, of course, Heligan is the kind of place I love – particularly at this time of year, when its mass of camellia trees come into bloom.
The upper sections, nearest the main entrance, are more formal and recreate the original 19th-century pleasure gardens, with pools, tree-shaded avenues, flower-fringed patios and summerhouses gazing out over St Austell bay. My favourite parts are the Italian garden, with its olive trees, urns and burbling fountains, and the rock garden, where ferns sprout from moss-covered boulders and pathways meander through hidden grottos.
Another favourite of mine is the walled kitchen garden, which is bursting with produce. There’s also an atmospheric potting shed, and greenhouses and glasshouses where fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs are grown throughout the year.
Beyond the kitchen garden, the estate spills down into a wilder steep-sided valley. Its microclimate makes it much warmer than the rest of the estate and it’s been transformed into a tropical jungle with a wonderful lost-world feel. There are towering palms, giant rhubarb and banana plants, swathes of rustling bamboo, tumbling streams, lakes studded with huge lily pads, and a fun rope bridge that has everyone grinning like children.
All in all, I can’t recommend a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan highly enough. Wander without a set route, and plan to spend most of a day there. The entire place is utterly magical, with a surprise around almost every corner, and you won’t come away disappointed.
Find out more about visiting the Lost Gardens of Heligan and book tickets here.
All photography by Abi Dare
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