WELCOME TO THE LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN NEWSLETTER

With blue skies overhead, today’s venture out of the office was a welcome treat. There’s a real buzz in the gardens, with the bees busy pollinating the early summer blooms.

In the Vegetable Garden the last of the asparagus rises from its rounded bed. Nearby, the first strawberries can be seen emerging in their straw-filled rows. Rhubarb, potatoes and parsley are all growing fast and regimental lines of Sweet Williams add a flash of colour.

The swallows and wagtails have returned to their nesting crooks and crannies within the walls and buildings of the Productive Gardens. It’s worth taking a moment to stop and quietly observe.
The Italian Garden is looking really good after benefiting from a manicure prior to our recent royal visit. We were also impressed with this year’s abundance of tadpoles in the pond. Looks like we will have to watch our step soon, in order to avoid froglets!

Wandering down past Pencallenick Greenhouse we stopped to admire the stunning ‘cottage garden’ style planting. Large poppies, aquilegias, fox gloves and primulas combine to make the most romantic floral display. The bees loved it too – they were everywhere, in all shapes and sizes, buzzing happily between the flowers.

In the Flower Garden we were welcomed by the citrus trees which have once again taken their summer position on the terraces. With the blue skies, bees and butterflies, swallows swooping overhead and the smell of citrus – we could be forgiven for thinking that we are in the middle of summer! 

Lorna & James
 

NEW FOR 2011
To mark our 21st Anniversary…

THE HELIGAN HANDBOOK – In Celebration

Our latest full colour guide book celebrates the key achievements of the garden restoration and the development of the Wider Estate with its pioneering Wildlife Project. We summarise our individual ethos, history and working practices and illustrate the unrivalled range of features, plants and animals to be witnessed across the whole site. Previously unpublished photos (old and new), maps, plans and planting information are included.

A generation has grown up since first we came here. Our project has come of age; the old working routines are now firmly back in place with renewed purpose. As we develop our understanding of the interconnectedness of everything, we continue to delight in sharing our experience with visitors.

Written, photographed, compiled, illustrated, designed and published by our own team on site, this 80-page booklet represents the accumulation of a very broad range of skills amongst our staff, linked by a fierce passion to protect Heligan’s unique identity.

This is a garden guide like no other – a long-overdue memento for those who know us well and an information-packed booklet for the first-time visitor.

Available now from heliganshop.com or on-site when next you visit.
£3.95 (postage and packing free of charge).
 

Sunday 29th May & Monday 30th May
Two days of wildlife walks and talks, art and craft activities highlighting the work of The Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Inspired & Wild – Art Exhibition - Lobbs Farm Shop
Sat 21st May - Wed 8th June

We were proud to welcome HRH The Countess of Wessex to The Lost Gardens of Heligan on the afternoon of May 18th 2011.

Her visit coincided with Heligan’s 21st birthday celebrations and was organised by the Cornwall Tourist Board. Guests to the buffet lunch on Flora’s Green included Tim Smit and other leaders in the Cornish attractions and garden sectors. The Countess enjoyed a private tour of the gardens with Heligan MD, Peter Stafford and Heligan Director, Julian Stephens. "We were delighted to welcome the Countess to The Lost Gardens” comments Peter Stafford. “Late Spring is an ideal time to come and see Heligan, at one of it's most beautiful times of the year."

The Countess toured the Northern Gardens, Wildlife Project and even the Jungle in her two hour visit; and took the time to talk to the gardening team before departing by helicopter.
“It was a really lovely afternoon and we were pleased to be able to gift HRH with some unique heritage Heligan plants. It’s great to think that a piece of The Lost Gardens may find a home within a royal garden.” – Peter Stafford.

 

It seems crazy to think that a month has passed since the last Newsletter and after a beautiful start to the year we still need rain!

The biggest project we have been working on has definitely been the construction of a new pond and wetland area situated close to Horsemoor Hide. We hope this area will be a very successful habitat. Once it has settled down in the next few years we can expect a huge range of aquatic invertebrates, plants, birds and mammals to use it on a regular basis. Unfortunately though, we really need rain to start filling the ponds.

The mural we had commissioned is finally finished and has been installed in Horsemoor Hide, so if you are at Heligan make sure to visit. Also at the Hide we have live views of nesting Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Jackdaws. The Barn Owls laid four eggs but the female ate one of them. Presumably because she knew it was infertile. The Tawny Owl’s two eggs hatched on the 4th and 5th of May. One of the chicks was very undernourished and was soon consumed by its much larger sibling which is now growing at an alarming rate, eating as much as its parents can bring it!

The arrival of large numbers of Swallows, House Martins and Swifts are a welcome sight, all of which are busy collecting nest material. Throughout the whole estate there are lots of fledgling birds and young mammals starting to explore their surroundings.

With all of this warm weather of late, there are lots of insects emerging. Butterflies are showing in good numbers, species such as Red Admiral, Comma, Brimstone, Small White, Green Veined White, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Copper and Brown Argus can all be seen here. We have just started Butterfly tours with our Estate Warden; Graham Bugg so please visit www.heliganwild.com for more details.

We have just launched a “Wildlife Photography Competition” with the opportunity for you to win over £1000 worth of prizes and to have your photographs judged by BBC cameraman, Charlie Hamilton James. Full details are available at www.heliganwild.com. So next time you visit don’t forget to bring your camera! All photos entered must be taken at Heligan and must include wildlife in some way. 
 

Richard 

Thursday 16th ~ Thursday 30th June 10am – 5pm

An inspiring display of artworks showing the diversity and beauty of our native bees and flowers, by Valerie Littlewood. Learn about the hardest workers in the garden during ‘Buzz’ at The Lost Gardens of Heligan; an event celebrating UK bees. Most of us are aware of the plight of the disappearing honeybee but it is not so well known that an amazing 250 species of UK bee are busy pollinating our crops and gardens.
 

2nd, 16th & 30th June, 7th & 21st July 4th & 18th August, 1st, 15th & 21st September

Join Estate Warden Graham Bugg on this informative insight into Heligan’s butterfly population with this butterfly identification half hour.
Meet at Horsemoor Hide at 2pm (Free to garden visitors)

 

When John Nelson and Tim Smit delved into the undergrowth of The Lost Gardens 21 years ago, Jude was one of the lucky few who accompanied them. Some of Jude’s photos of a very lost and forgotten Heligan can be seen in Tim Smit’s book,“The Lost Gardens of Heligan”.

Jude started working seasonally at Heligan from 1996 and became a full-time member of the catering team in 2004. Jude’s duties include clearing tables, washing dishes, ordering supplies and helping to ensure the smooth running of the Willows Tearooms.
Over the last 21 years Jude has seen the constant evolution of The Lost Gardens from a large overgrown estate to the 200 acres of beautiful managed gardens that you see today. 

“My favourite part about working at The Lost Gardens is being able to work in such lovely surroundings and being so close to nature.”

In October Jude will be walking the Great Wall of China in aid of Cornwall Hospice Care. This challenging walk will see Jude walk for 9 hours every day for 6 consecutive days to raise funds for this worthy cause.
For further information on Jude’s walk or if you are able to make a donation please see justgiving.com/Jude-Husband.

 

We hope you have enjoyed our newsletter.

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