The Lost Gardens of Heligan & The Mud Maid. UK

'The Mud Maid sculpture, representing a sleeping woman, is located in The Lost Gardens of Heligan, in Cornwall, in the Southwest of England. It’s a living sculpture which means that its appearance changes with the seasons, as plants grow and then wither away'.

I have yet to visit Canada despite my many relatives and friends living there. It is in my plans to vacation there soon. My friend Elaine is a valued member of 'The Garden Girls' group in Canada. They post a host of wonderful snapshots of breathtaking treats, floral oddities, amazing bird and wildlife photographs, food delicacies and funny tidbits.

Elaine sells seeds, plants and flowers, and does workshops on any flora or fauna that are requested by the many members.

So, while perusing the group's perambulated cacophony of discourse and funny mementos, I came upon this titillating nugget of information, posted by Shani G. It gave me great pleasure to view the sculptures and found myself very eager to visit these gardens as soon as I possibly can.

THE LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN, or HELYGEN (meaning willow tree garden), is located near Mevagissey in Cornwall, England. The garden is built in the 19th century style, with different character areas and different design styles.

The Gardens form part of the Heligan Estate, owned by the Tremayne family. They were created by the family from the mid 18th century to the early 20th century, and still forms parts of the Heligan estate. The gardens fell into neglect after the first world war, but were restored in the early 1990's. There were television programs and books on the subject. The Gardens completely surround the Heligan House and it's private gardens.

'The gardens include aged and colossal rhododendrons and camellias, a series of lakes fed by a ram pump over 100 years old, highly productive flower and vegetable gardens, an Italian garden, and a wild area filled with subtropical tree ferns called "The Jungle". The gardens also have Europe's only remaining pineapple pit, warmed by rotting manure, and two figures made from rocks and plants known as the Mud Maid and the Giant's Head'.

History:

'The Heligan estate was originally bought by the Tremaynes in the 16th century, and earlier members of the family were responsible for Heligan House and the (still private) gardens that immediately surround it.

However, the more extensive gardens now open to the public were largely the result of the efforts of four successive squires of Heligan.

After the childless death of Jack Tremayne, the Heligan estate came under the ownership of a trust to the benefit of several members of the extended Tremayne family. One of these, John Willis, lived in the area and was responsible for introducing record producer Tim Smit to the gardens. A group of fellow enthusiasts and he decided to restore the garden to its former glory, and eventually leased them from the Tremayne family.

The restoration, which was the subject of a six-part Channel 4 television series produced by Bamboo Productions and Cicada Films in 1996, proved to be an outstanding success, not only revitalising the gardens but also the local economy around Heligan by providing employment. The gardens are now leased by a company owned by their restorers, who continue to cultivate them and operate them as a visitor attraction.

The gardens were featured in the 1997 Tots TV special Big Treasure Adventure and the 1998 episode Desert Island Adventure.

References: WikiPedia.

I must confess that I have not yet visited this place. I have taken a profound and earnest fascination with the information, and with the grateful help of WikiPedia and Youtube, obtained these rather tasty morsels of facts.

The photographs below are a combination of the steps to building the mud sculptures, and the various stages that they undergo with the changes of the weather and the seasons.

I look forward, with high expectations to visiting this place, and hope that I have, somehow piqued the interest of someone else. Nature is wonderful, and seeing it unfold in amazing ways is quite fascinating.

I hope to see you there.

N.A.