Paradise Lost & Found

Once upon a time, there was a garden that was owned by a very wealthy family in St Austell. It had pineapples, exotic and local blooms, pasture and farmed land yielding nature's bountiful harvest. Young men worked the land, and in this veritable Eden, peace reigned.

Until the war came.

The young gardeners were called away to join the army - to fight for the pride of the British Empire. Many left, none returned. Soon, even the owners left the garden that was once their own. Neglected and overgrown over the years, this garden was forgotten. for over 50 years, until someone went for a walk, and stumbled upon the lost gardens.

An ambitious restoration work began and The Lost Gardens of Heligan was born.

While the story was pretty, I think this tourist attraction would only appeal to those who loved gardening. It even had a tropical garden to simulate the growth of tropical plants, and a wildlife obsevation sector where migratory birds would stop by and nest.

I was only enthralled by the Mud Maid and the Giant's Head - two sculptures that were constructed out of the wood and plants found at the Gardens.

Made a beeline for some of the shops. Siok Ai was a little vexed that she could not find the espadrilles shop that she spotted 2 nights ago. Ate dinner at the Union Hotel's bar, which served excellent ales and surprisingly, a fusion dinner of grilled prawns on tomato, chilli and garlic.