The Lost Gardens of Heligan

I don't know if I will be able to do the Lost Gardens of Heligan justice in this post. This is a place beyond my powers of description, truly.

I had heard about the Gardens after our trip to Cornwall in 2016. I was so sad that we'd missed them, because honestly I never expected to be back in Cornwall, much as I wanted to. So when I saw photos of the Gardens online, I couldn't believe we didn't know about them when we were there. Fortunately, my sister Judy really wanted to see Cornwall, so we made it part of the plans for our "sister" trip this August.

I have to admit, we saw only a small part of these vast gardens. They've been in the Tremayne family for over four centuries, but had fallen into disrepair until recently when an heir to the estate, trying to see just what he'd inherited, hacked his way (literally) through the gardens with a friend. What he found astounded him! Tropical plants, redwoods, formal gardens, huge ferns, laurel TREES (they're bushes here in the states), and on and on. So restoration began and today the gardens are thriving. There are pineapples and bananas, palm trees, a rope bridge, an Italian garden, a literal jungle, meadows, a "Lost Valley" and more.

Here are a few of the photos I took, which don't begin to touch what's there to experience.

The Mud Maiden

The Monster

The Grey Lady

Huge hydrangeas were everywhere, and of many, many colors.

I was surprised at this view back to the sea, and to Charlestown where we had just been!

In the Jungle:

There were several huge redwoods here:

I have no idea what this unusual plant is called.

Theresa on the rope bridge, was spanned over top of a ravine full of exotic ferns. She was terrified, as I was, but we both made it safely across.

A "penny log". I'd never heard of this! I had no pennies, but I did have a few US dimes so we pounded them in, as instructed by the children who were busy doing the same.

This is a bee boles wall--where bee skeps are housed. 

The colors were just unbelievable.

These little boys were busily engaged in a swordfight with sticks. I was so happy to see this, a throwback to my own childhood!

And finally, on the way back to Boscastle, we were treated to a rainbow!

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