WELCOME TO THE LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN NEWSLETTER

After Tuesday’s April showers the blue skies have returned. The gardens are ablaze with colour as our majestic National Collection of Rhododendrons and Camellias explode in bloom – it’s simply breath-taking. Vibrant pinks and reds surround Flora’s Green and the Rhododendron Niveum with its lilac snowball like flowers is in full flower.

The de Jager tulips are already flowering, an amazing three weeks earlier than last year, apparently that’s what a mild March can do to things! Regimental rows of bright tulips line the Productive Gardens whilst a more informal planting regime can be found in the Steward’s House Garden.

This is possibly one of my favourite times of year, there is something very uplifting about the moment that the Apple Arch starts to blossom; and it is! The apple blossom really establishes the full swing of spring, warm days are ahead and the air once again fills with the gentle buzzing of the bees.

Down in the Melon Yard the pear trees are blossoming and the first pineapple of the season is ripening in the Pineapple Pit. For those with a keen eye, watch the birds in the Melon Yard, they are busy nest-building and the nooks and crannies of the old walls and structures make safe, dry homes for the like of the wagtail, coal tit and wren.

In the Flower Garden the peach blossom and anemones are nearly finished but that only heralds the planting of the summer annuals in a few weeks. Did I mention summer already? Well, it’s not so far away and on days like today with bright sunshine and blue skies, it feels even closer.

Today, I have managed to escape to the Jungle too, what a treat. The rhododendrons are blooming over First Pond and Giant Rhubarb is emerging from the valley floor. In the ponds the skunk cabbage is flowering and the fish are a plenty!

My garden exploration today has been full of flowering abundance, in a way that only a Cornish Spring can provide.
 

Well yet another month has passed and its all go with the Wildlife Team. Our resident pair of Barn Owls are still together in our box, the female is busy breaking up pellets and spreading them around, a sure sign that she is preparing to lay in the next few days. On the subject of owls, a female Barn Owl has taken up residence in our Barn Owl tower after a year of no activity. So we are keeping a close eye on her in the hope that she will find a mate.

Last month we explained that we had put up some Tawny Owl boxes, complete with cameras. After about a week we had our first sighting of a Tawny Owl, and it was in the box that we had designed to look like the inside of a tree! The owl stayed in the box for the next few days so we monitored it closely and on the evening of the 3rd April it hopped onto the entrance hole to reveal an egg! Tawny Owls lay between 1 and 7 eggs, so we can expect to see more in the next few days. She will incubate the eggs until they hatch in about 4 weeks time. Live footage of this owl can be seen at Horsemoor Hide.

Elsewhere on the estate the Green Woodpeckers are still busy calling to each other, they can be heard very regularly, particularly at the top of East Lawn. Our cameraman managed to get a short film clip of a female on West Lawn but no luck with locating the nest site as yet.

There has been an arrival of large numbers of Chiffchaff; their unmistakable call can be heard all over the estate. A pair of Grey Wagtails have been spotted regularly in the Lost Valley; the full story can be read on the news page at www.heliganwild.com

Spring has well and truly sprung and the estate is looking fresh with new growth. Bluebells are just starting to show along the Georgian Ride and will soon be a spectacular sight. The fields surrounding Horsemoor Hide are starting to come alive with the flowering of bright yellow Celandines.

Insects are now in abundance, due to the warm weather we’ve been having of late. Butterflies are beginning to emerge, Peacocks being the first to show up, as well as Commas in the Jungle and a few sightings of Holly Blues.

A bit of bad news though; the Blackbird that nested near the Steward’s House abandoned her nest shortly after the chicks had hatched. It is unusual for a Blackbird to abandon live chicks so it is possible that she became a meal for our local Sparrowhawk.

To keep up to date with the goings on of our Wildlife Team, we have launched our new site www.heliganwild.com, where we have live webcams, latest images and in-depth news stories. As well as a new “Photo of the Month” competition, where aspiring photographers are able to upload their Heligan wildlife photos to our Facebook page, with the chance to win free entry to the garden for a whole year!
 

Discover the secrets of the Lost Valley with ‘The Woodsman’

Wednesday 13th & Wednesday 20th April

Embark on an exciting journey back in time to meet ‘The Woodsman’ who will lead you through Heligan’s ancient broad-leaved woodland revealing the practices and woodland magic of old.

These tours are set to be a real addition to your Heligan experience; unveiling sides of Heligan’s historic landscape that you may not otherwise of enjoyed.
Free to Garden Visitors
Departing from Hide Park Corner at 11am & 2pm
 

Friday 22nd April - Monday 25th April
Egg Hunt 10am – 4pm

Adventure through The Lost Gardens of Heligan on our magical Easter Egg Hunt, follow the mysterious set of clues around the Northern Gardens until you discover the nest of eggs.

Egg Decorating and Best Dressed Egg Competition 11am – 5pm
The Egg Hunt and all egg decorating materials are free to garden visitors.
(Included in garden admission).
 

Saturday 23rd April ~ Monday 2nd May
10am – 5pm

Magnificent displays of stunning de Jager bulbs will be on show at The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Bringing new swaths of spring colour across the Victorian Pleasure Gardens and to the finest Productive Gardens in Britain. Bulb experts from the specialist bulb company, de Jager, will be manning the Tulip Festival marquee on Flora’s Green throughout the event.
(Included in garden admission)
 

With Spring in full swing, last weekend brought us the annual Cornwall Garden Society Spring Flower Show at the beautiful Boconnoc Estate.

From late 2010, almost every department got involved with creating our show stand or producing our award winning potted plants and cut flowers.

To keep the general public and judges guessing, we kept this years plans top secret until a few days before the show. The Heligan team created a fantastic New Zealand themed show garden, which was based around our New Zealand Garden at Heligan.

As well as a replica Maori Hut and Tree Fern carving, the stand was filled with plants such as Libertia Tree Ferns, Chatham Island Forget-Me-Nots and Dacrydium cuppressoides to name but a few.

The show stand went down extremely well with not only the public, but with the Cornwall Garden Society Judges as well. We were awarded with a silver gilt award which took pride of place on the front of the Maori Hut for the entire weekend.

The gardeners who entered the cut flower and potted plants classes also did well. In total the team brought back ten awards for various classes, so a big well done to them.

Over the weekend we met and spoke to several of our e-newsletter subscribers, so we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for coming to see us on the stand.
 

In 2001 Russell joined the Heligan team in the Willows Tearooms as a kitchen assistant while he studied at university.

After gaining a degree in graphic design at the Somerset College of Art and Technology, Russell joined the design and interpretation department as an assistant in 2004. Over the last seven years Russell has worked his way up to his current position, which is Design and Interpretation Supervisor.

Russell’s main responsibility is to oversee the smooth running of the Design and Interpretation department. Jobs include designing all on site signage and interpretation, creating event posters and large design projects such as the new Heligan Handbook (available soon), Heligan map and leaflet.

‘I really enjoy the large variety of work we do at The Lost Gardens. From small items such as shelf edge labels for the shop up to the large products such as the designing of the Heligan Handbook. The fact that I work in the centre of such beautiful gardens is an added bonus.’
 

From 1st April 2011 would all friends please sign in at reception instead of showing your passes at the ticket office.

We hope that this will speed up your entry to the gardens over the forthcoming busy months.

We hope you have enjoyed our newsletter.

If you have any comments please get in touch via our website contact page.