The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Red Flowered Broad Beans

2012-01-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

No-one can quite recall where this particular variety arrived from, but it always draws comments from visitors and is very popular with the bees. This prompts our annual joke: a visitor will ask " What 's the name of those red flowered broad beans?", to which our reply is? "Erm, red flowered broad beans"! It is one of the varieties that we regularly save and it is always a joy when a visitor shows a real interest and is rewarded with a handful of the precious beans!

Early garlic

2012-01-28T02:07:00.000-08:00

Although we have been sowing beans and seed trays all month, it does always seem that when the garlic is planted, the season has well and truly begun. Something about planting with cold fingers while the soil gradually warms during the day makes it feel like a new beginning - roll on Spring and the chance to shimmy out of our thermals!

January lettuces

2012-01-21T04:41:00.001-08:00

If you've started on your New Year diets now, we've got just the thing for you! Although the frames are unheated, they have still managed a very respectable crop of winter lettuces and oriental greens. These will be heading up to the kitchens any day now!

Very early potatoes

2012-01-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

Even earlier than the first earlys in the main garden, the tubers that are planted in the frames should be ready by very early summer (May, if it all goes according to plan). The Victorian seed merchant excelled at providing his customers with a huge spread of varieties, enabling the cropping season to last as long as possible. The two grown here were developed in the mid nineteenth century, Early Rose and Myatts Ashleaf, and remained popular well into the last century. We are very pleased to grow these unique varieties here at Heligan, preserving their distinct flavour and properties for the future.

Forcing Cardoons

2012-01-21T04:02:00.000-08:00

After the rhubarb and seakale, we've decided to experiment with forcing the cardoon plants as well. Technically, you should really force cardoon in late summer, but we've got a bit overexcited! (also it's so mild that the usual seasonal dormancy doesn't seem to be happening this year). We are hoping for a blanched and softer stem, as cardoon can be quite stringy, and will try out some Victorian recipes too!

Comfrey Feed

2012-01-21T02:08:00.000-08:00

With even large scale commercial growers returning to it, comfrey feed is a brilliant natural fertiliser. Traditionally its leaves were added to the garden compost to increase nutrient content, but it works just as well as a liquid feed, being particularly high in the main plant nutrients of pottasium and nitrogen. This will be ideal as a feed for the glasshouses!

Nutrient testing

2012-01-21T01:49:00.000-08:00

As some of the peach trees in the glasshouse were beginning to show signs of ill health, we decided it would be a good point to test all the glasshouse soil for its nutrient content.
As a basic rule of thumb (as every gardener knows), problems with your plants usually mean a soil problem too. As the glasshouses can't be double dug or easily mulched, they inevitably are more prone to nutrient deficiencies than the main garden. As we suspected, all the nutrient levels were poor, but particularly nitrogen. So the glasshouses are now on a strict New Year regime of mulching and feeding that should see them well back on their way to health by Spring!

Scoring apple trees

2012-01-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

Our new apple trees are proving a little stubborn in the branching department, so we have resorted to the technique of scoring (where a cut is made through the bark and into the cambium layer that is the trees' growth tissue). When done above a bud it disrupts the flow of the plant hormones, forcing them into the bud and therefore promoting branching. Cutting a small notch would have the same effect. Fingers crossed that this technique works!

Sowing early peas

2012-01-14T03:06:00.000-08:00

Only January and here we are with the early peas already! Usually sowing these can take quite some time, but somebody very kindly sent us this fantastic little contraption that can dib 56 holes at once! Modern technology is amazing, but you have to admire the inventiveness of the Victorians - if a job could be sped up or made more efficient by the invention of a tool, then someone would come up with it. As Bill Bryson has it, it's surprising that no-one came up with an automated pat yourself on the back device!

Forcing Seakale

2012-01-14T02:46:00.000-08:00

The practice of forcing crops out of season was a vital technique in Victorian husbandry, and one which any Head Gardener worth his salt would be expected to excel at. Generally it involved being able to provide the Cook with out of season vegetables, such as peas, asparagus or strawberries, based on the use of "hot beds" full of fresh manure. Some plants (for example chicory, rhubarb, or seakale) could be forced simply by covering the crown of the plant with a terracotta pot, which encouraged the plant to shoot and produce blanched stems. Sometimes hot manure was heaped up around the pot to speed up the process. Sea kale is easy to force in this way, and was considered quite a delicacy. At least it made a change from the cabbages and parsnips at the dinner table!

Winter Sown Broad Beans

2012-01-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

The mild weather has given our November sown broad beans a romping start, and already they're the height they would normally reach by early March. Not many germination failures here! Craig is carefully thinning them out to give each plant space to grow, and to lessen the impact of any fungal diseases. These can be kept at bay by encouraging good air flow around the plants, though a little touch of Chocolate Spot is not too detrimental to the crop.

Sowing Antirrhinums

2012-01-07T04:42:00.000-08:00

The first week of the new year, and the first of many seed trays are being prepared for sowing in the old Potting Shed. Properly filled and tamped down to ensure full contact between seed and the growing media, they will then be transferred to the balmy heat of the propagation unit, and in a few short weeks, Antirrhinum seedlings will appear!

New Year sunrise

2012-01-07T04:31:00.000-08:00

One winters' morning on the way into work, I was struck, not just by the lovely sunrise, but also by the fact that a hundred years ago, the gardeners would have gazed upon an almost identical scene. Then too, the smoke would have been rising from the newly kindled Head Gardener's fire, as he waited in his office to give every man his task for the day, and the sun would be just rising over the shelter belts surrounding the gardens. Some things really are eternal.

Chitting potatoes

2011-12-31T03:21:00.000-08:00

It has been so warm that the potatoes, quietly chitting in their shed, think that it's Spring already and have put on bumper amounts of growth. Though it's nice to know that they're champing at the bit, the length of the shoots would be impractical for planting and would probably get damaged, so it's best to trim these back to a manageable length. Mind you, if it continues this warm, we'll have to do this again before they finally make it into the ground!

Apple pruning

2011-12-31T03:15:00.000-08:00

Finally it has stopped raining long enough for us to rush out and get done all those jobs that need doing. One of them, of course, is the winter pruning of the apple and pear trees, including our lovely apple arch. Trained over many years into a step-over espalier shape, the arch requires careful pruning to keep it in shape. The overall rule of winter pruning is never to do it in the wet or when frost is expected. However, in this mild wet winter, if we waited for a completely dry day, I think we might be waiting a long long time!

Dahlia imperialis 'Alba'

2011-12-31T03:09:00.000-08:00

This is definitely a first for us-we were surprised when it stayed warm enough for the species to flower- but we never expected the white form to flower as well! Cornwall is always milder than the rest of England, but this is very unusual, as this type of Dahlia hardly ever has chance to flower even in the mild South West. And what an amazing flower!

Cabbage juggling!

2011-12-22T06:18:00.000-08:00

You'd never know it was Christmas, as Ant demonstrates the rare Cornish art of Cabbage juggling! We are still working - honest - but we've definitely gone into holiday mode...! We hope that you've all enjoyed this year's blog, and as we pack up our tools for this year and head home for some well earned festive fun, it only remains to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a productive and joyful New Year!

2011-12-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

After a year's worth of hard work, all the teams get together for a slap up cooked breakfast, courtesy of the Jungle team. Time to stretch out your boots and take the rare opportunity to chat to other team members (as this is such a big site, seeing other team members is a bit like ships that pass in the night usually!). As well as lovely bacon and egg rolls, pete the fish served us all with sweet cured mackerel which he'd caught and then smoked (which was divine!). Sometimes you just have to think how lucky we are! Roll on Christmas!

2011-12-22T06:08:00.000-08:00

2011-12-22T06:05:00.000-08:00

Waterlogged soil

2011-12-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

The double digging has squelched to a halt! Visitors frequently comment on how lovely our soil looks, and it should be for the amount of attention that is lavished on it. But no gardener worth their salt attempts to dig saturated soil. Not only is it back breaking, it destroys the structure of the soil that we have worked so hard to develop, and that gives us such amazing crops.

Saving Seeds

2011-12-17T03:32:00.001-08:00

The continuous rain (and hail and sleet and wind) has driven even us hardy souls indoors. Along with the cleaning and disinfecting that is a necessary winter chore, there is also the task of sorting and saving seeds. This is particularly important where the plants are of rare older varieties (as here with a wallflower called Giant Forcing Brown). Tedious it might be, but at least it's in the dry!

The return of the Heligan scarecrow!

2011-12-10T04:25:00.000-08:00

Our regular visitors will be pleased to know that Diggory, our resident scarecrow, will be back on patrolling duties next week! A familiar figure to lots of local children (though he does tend to freak the dogs out!), he will be trying to keep the pigeons out of our brassica patch over the coming months. He is a useful member of the team, even if, when you are in the garden on your own, he can sometimes seem a little spooky!

Organic pest control

2011-12-10T04:18:00.000-08:00

We have such a glamorous job! Marigolds donned and bucket to hand, Craig gives the peach trees a good scrubbing! Taking care not to damage the delicate buds for next year, this job does demand a fair degree of attention and care, as the sooty mould which has covered the poor peach trees is cleaned off. In the warm humid climate of the South West, mould and fungal diseases are a constant threat, and sometimes only a nail brush and a bucket of Savona (horticultural soap) will do!

Chrysanthemum cuttings

2011-12-10T04:13:00.000-08:00

The potting shed being used for its original purpose! The chrysanthemums that provided a last splash of colour in the Vegetable Garden are now over, but we need to take cuttings for planting out next year. Evocative though the potting shed is, it can also make you long for a warm fire and a hot drink in the depths of winter (it is definitely not the warmest of buildings but we keep smiling through!)

2011-12-03T03:23:00.000-08:00

"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!" It's that time of year again, and though Cornwall can't always provide the snow, we can still do the festive cheer. We are still busy out in the garden double digging, tidying and harvesting, and all the preparations for next season, but its nice to take 5 minutes out to look forward to Christmas - only 3 weeks to go!

New fruit stock

2011-11-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to add some fruit trees to your garden (or soft fruit, shrubs or roses), now is the time to plant them. While the soil is still relatively warm (but not too warm that it will encourage growth that will then have to contend with winter conditions), and so that they will have the best of all possible starts come spring. Here we are replacing some raspberry canes (that succumbed to a mystery disease earlier this year), and introducing a green gage to join its relatives the plums. Introduced from France in the 1700's, they have fallen from grace in recent years, though they are easy to grow and look after, and produce luscious fruit. They can be grown in large containers, so can be squeezed into very small gardens. Definitely worth a go!

Mulching

2011-11-26T04:54:00.000-08:00

The barrows are still out this week as we begin the job of mulching the fruit trees and beds. Although mulching is ideal as a weed suppressant, in this case it also provides slow release nutrients, which will be available for the trees when they need it most in Spring.

Is it spring already?

2011-11-26T04:46:00.002-08:00

As has been noted in the local press, the continued warmth has confused quite a few plants into early flowering. Who ever heard of daffodils and rhododendrons flowering in November before? Although, with colder weather forecast for the coming week, they might be in a for a shock!

2011-11-26T04:46:00.001-08:00

2011-11-26T04:40:00.000-08:00

We have been waiting with bated breath and hoping that the weather wouldn't turn too soon, and we have been rewarded with the most amazing dahlia flower ever! Rejoicing in the name "imperialis" (and at 9 feet tall it deserves to!), this beautiful flower was well worth the wait. We keep finding visitors under it, mouths open in awe. I think we might be giving this a bed on its own next year!

Seaweed!

2011-11-19T04:49:00.000-08:00

Just when we thought it was save to put away the wheelbarrows...! Last week's mammoth barrowing of manure for double digging is followed this week by....more barrowing! First, however we have to go and collect our seaweed from a local beach and bring it back to the gardens. Even with a tractor to help, this is a huge job, involving most of our staff and back breaking raking of heavy seaweed.
Once home, the seaweed is barrowed into the Vegetable Garden, concentrating on the onion and asparagus beds, the crops that appreciate it most. The main benefits of a seaweed mulch are a boost to micro nutrients, general fertility, and it is the best soil conditioner you can get. Our rotation system means that every patch gets a lovely seaweed feed every four years.

2011-11-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

Ornamental gourds

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Useful, but in a different sense than usual, are our crops of ornamental gourds. In their native environment, they would find a use as useful carriers of sorghum or water, or as musical instruments. We use them for displays throughout the year, and enjoy them for the mad patinas that develop on their skin as they harden and mature.

Early Broad Beans

2011-11-11T06:55:00.000-08:00

It is a relief, amidst the clearing and harvesting, to lift your expectations to next year. A crop of broad beans planted now and netted against pests will give you an early crop of succulent beans in June. You could pop some in a pot in the kitchen or greenhouse for the same result. You just have to be aware that the mice might be counting on it for their Christmas dinner and forestall them!

Hee hee - Jerusalem artichokes

2011-11-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

The humble Jerusalem artichoke-(much maligned for its after effects) is a very useful winter crop. Its sweet and nutty flavour is perfect for soups (with hazelnuts for example) or sauted with garlic and bay leaves, or in a mixed root mash. Its sweetness lends itself well to strongly savoury dishes such as venison, or lamb, and it's excellent roasted with balsamic vinegar and mixed seeds. So give the humble chap a try, after all its other name is "sunroot" and who could ask for more as the days slide towards winter?

November Harvest

2011-11-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

Though the nights are definitely drawing in and its been a bit dismal of late, there is still plenty to be harvested from the garden. Onions, leeks and celery for braising or as soups or gratins, beetroot for winter salads or cake, or how about cajun spiced pumpkin and prawn risotto? One of the funny things about the productive gardens team here is that our love of growing vegetables is matched by an equally keen attitude to eating them!

2011-11-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

From Passchendaele to the Battle of Arnhem to Helmand province..."the countless white crosses in mute witness stand"...lest we forget.

Storing onions

2011-11-05T06:22:00.000-07:00

Having done their bit for the Harvest Festival, the strings of onions are back down in the glasshouse waiting to fulfill their real role in the restaurant. Before we had fridges or the convenience of supermarkets, this would have been a common sight, as the produce of a whole season was stored ready for use. Produce was pickled or bottled, salted, dried or made into chutneys, not as a whim but as a necessity, for the long months ahead when the garden was less productive.

Hyacinths

2011-11-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

A lovely way to enliven the winter months is the good old fashioned hyacinth pot, a great way to put a bit of much needed zing into the garden or house. The area by the restaurant looks fantastic in the winter and early spring with hundreds of flowering bulbs-proof that just because it is winter doesn't mean it has to be drab.

Downtime for Dahlias

2011-11-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

The incredible dahlias in the Flower Garden have finally gone past their best and are being cut down and dug up for winter storage. Although they became a little passe in the last 30 years, they are currently enjoying a revival. Given that they bloomed continuously from July and came in a range of stunning colours, we can thoroughly recommend them!

Poo!

2011-11-05T05:20:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful clear autumn day, there are worse ways to spend your time than barrowing manure. Or maybe that's just me...So even though the year is winding down towards winter, there is still plenty to be done. We are just thankful that the weather is being kind, as it can be a miserable wet job otherwise!

Rained off

2011-10-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

Although we are used to the heavy rain that is a feature of the Cornish autumn, we weren't quite expecting this much. All outdoor work ceased (apart from the efforts to keep the water out of vital buildings) while we waited for the deluge to stop. I'm sure it's not just me but these "freak" weather events are occurring fairly regularly now - maybe we need to change the description and stop kidding ourselves that we are not entering a period of major climate change?
The rain did at least give us the opportunity to shell and save some of the bean harvest. Some of our varieties are no longer commercially available and this allows us to ensure the continuance of these rare heritage varieties. Check out our latest video showing this years bean saving action - http://www.youtube.com/user/HeliganWild#p/a/u/1/vQm6Kt8waeA

Harvest on its way

2011-10-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hard at work making the wheelbarrow and trailer loads full of produce from the garden into a breathtaking display. For every vegetable gardener this is a special time of year, when all the hard work and effort of nurturing these plants through the vagaries of a growing season, leaves you with a feeling of pleasure, achievement and pride, with just a little bit of awe thrown in. Time to stand back and absorb...

Apple harvest

2011-10-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

Some of the bumper apple harvest on its way up to the restaurant area, to take its place as part of our harvest display, this year in a cake design to celebrate our 21st birthday! Their many colours and hues are part of the essence of autumn, and as varieties are so easily lost. Apples orchards (and pear, plum and cherry orchards) were an essential part of the local economy and identity. Too, too many have been lost, but you can still hunt out older varieties (many of them specifically adapted to your local area) and help to conserve a vanishing and precious part of our heritage.

Beautiful bean tapestry

2011-10-22T04:44:00.000-07:00

Gardening and art have a lot in common, they both take time, require a certain level of skill and engender quite strong passions. So here is our take on 'Twenty First Century Bean-from casserole to applique'. Whichever, it still looks beautiful!

Parsnips running to seed!

2011-10-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Although Cornwall is renowned for its mild maritime climate, I have never come across this before. The warm weather (with night time temperatures still above 12 degrees centigrade) has caused the parsnips to begin running to seed. This is a worrying development as we rely on our parsnips to be harvestable till January or February. Never thought I'd hear myself say it, but bring on the cold weather!

Pumpkin bathtime!

2011-10-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

With the harvest gathered in from the bed, the next stage is to give the pumpkins a gentle scrub. Once they are spick and span, they can safely be left in the glasshouse to cure (where the skin properly hardens) which will (we hope) allow them to last to Christmas and beyond.

Spring bulbs-Camassia

2011-10-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

As with every other gardener in the country, October means time to get your spring bulbs in! With over 600 feet of bulbs to get in though, this is less an autumn meander and more a frantic production line, with the weather a critical factor. Lets just hope that the continuing mild spell doesn't trick them into shooting too early!

Heritage Spray Chrysanthemums

2011-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

As the rest of the garden is gradually cleared, leaving only the hardy winter crops, the chrysanthemums come into their own. If you're used to 'mums meaning large in your face flowers with a bitter scent, then these will change your mind. Delicate in both hue and flower-head, these older varieties have a special charm . This variety "Bronze Elegance" has a deep coral colour and looks amazing in late autumn sun. Well worth squeezing into a corner for an autumn pick me up!

Wallflowers - colour for next Spring

2011-10-08T02:45:00.000-07:00

Amidst the flurry of harvesting and tidying, it is also time to think about Spring next year. Biennial plants need to be sown the year before you want them to flower, so a little forethought is required. Here the beds flanking the apple arch are planted with wallflowers (an old and beautiful variety with deep mahogany flowers). If the weather is kind, they should start to flower in late April, fingers crossed!

Saving seed

2011-10-08T02:34:00.000-07:00

Paper bag and secateurs in hand, it is time to forage for seed for next year (here Nigella hispanica). With the seed heads dried on the plant, they are swiftly harvested and stored for next year. We also save most of our pea and bean seeds, helping to conserve stocks of rare vegetables. It's with a shiver of recognition that I realise that our Neolithic ancestors would have done exactly this at this time of year.

Our apple store

2011-10-08T02:28:00.000-07:00

The scent of the fruit room here at Heligan is incredible, as the ripening pears and ripe apples tickle your nose with their delicious perfume. All lined up in their drawers ready for use, we will hope to keep some varieties until Christmas. All Victorian estates had fruit stores like this, dark and cool to preserve the harvest as long as possible, and checked on a daily basis for rots or mould. Now our apples come from the other side of the world, but you don't get that smell!

Melons galore!

2011-10-08T02:24:00.000-07:00

They may be small but what they like in size they make up for in flavour! Despite being grown in an unheated glasshouse, the melons are juicy and bursting with taste. If we are lucky, we might get a slice...

Yummy pears

2011-10-08T02:20:00.000-07:00

The last burst of sunshine and warmth was just what was need to finish the pears off nicely. Here they are waiting for their transport to the tearoom kitchens. They make a lovely crumble, but when they're as yummy as this just a slice of nice cheese would be enough. Mouthwatering!

Pumpkins-hurrah!

2011-10-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

Last but definitely not least, with the Harvest Festival a fortnight away, it is time to lift and clear the pumpkins. Nestled in their canopy of leaves they have been quietly growing (and growing and growing!). This one certainly required a team effort to get it to the wheelbarrow!

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

As this ridiculously hot weather continues, it's all hands to the pump to get the gardens tidy for harvest festival. September is a busy month for us, but this year seems to have been busier than ever! So apologies for the slight hiccup in our weekly blog but with weather like this, you have to seize the moment! We will be back on 8th October with lots of lovely photos to share!

Peach House Renovation

2011-09-17T05:10:00.000-07:00

While we are busy with harvesting, lifting bulbs and the endless battle against the weeds, the end of the main summer season means the maintenance team can turn their attention back to the ongoing maintenance of the buildings and glasshouses. Here the Peach House is prepared ready for them to repaint and undertake repairs. Only another 70 feet to go!

Heligan's New Garden

2011-09-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

Finally the finishing touches are made to the new Scented Garden, including laying the turf lawn. Autumn is the best time to lay a new lawn or to sow grass seed, as the relative warmth and wetness will help it establish quickly. We won't be walking on it for at least a month though!

Perry Pear Harvest

2011-09-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Our ever so technical approach to harvesting the perry pear tree that lives in the corner of the Melon Yard. This tree is an old survivor of the original planting, and has miraculously survived 70 years worth of neglect and overgrowth to fruit prolifically once again. Although it is lovely tasting, this variety (Swan's Egg), was usually reserved for the making of Perry cider. The trick is getting the pears off the tree!

2011-09-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Normal service was suspended this week as we all showed off our special skills for the Garden Celebration. Here Clive was showing visitors how to create their own onion strings to keep their crops over the autumn and winter. Lots of interest, and not a small amount of laughter accompanied the show, with Clive in his element!

2011-09-10T05:17:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular talks of the last few days was on Edible Flowers and Unusual Vegetables. Our visitors got the chance to sample some of our more unusual crops like scorzonera, salsify and golden beetroot as well as pansies and nasturtiums (immature nasturtium seeds, picked when green and then pickled, make a lovely substitute for capers in salads). It was a good chance to show off some more unusual edible plants that could add a new twist to your dinnertime!

2011-09-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

One of the main highlights of our Gardening Celebration was a tour round the Jungle with the renowned plant hunter and horticulturalist, Roy Lancaster. It was a fascinating tour of our stunning sub tropical garden, with the lesser known secrets of the plants revealed (we learned things we didn't know about an area we thought we knew well) and the visitors loved it!

2011-09-03T06:26:00.001-07:00

It's all hands to the pumps as we prepare for our Garden Festival Extravaganza! Running from Wednesday 7th September through to Saturday 10th September, it's a packed programme of talks and demonstrations showcasing all our horticultural expertise. From fruit, edible flowers and herbs, pest and diseases, techniques and subtropical gardening, and a daily question time, there's a lot to choose from! We are also very pleased to welcome back plant hunter and broadcaster Roy Lancaster, who will be giving an exclusive tour of the Jungle on Saturday (Roy's tour has to be pre-booked and has a charge in addition to Garden Entry). With so much to choose from, its an excellent week to come and visit us!

2011-09-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

...and here's some we grew earlier! An entire meal in themselves, our late summer carrots are a world away from the delicate little finger carrots appearing in June. Nourished by warm weather and plenteous rain, our carrots make their way to the kitchen. Just don't drop one on your foot!

2011-09-03T04:32:00.000-07:00

After many months, the new Scented Garden between the Sundial Garden and Sikkim is beginning to take shape, with the lawn area mapped out and plants going in. The formal shape of the lawn mirrors the shape of the Sundial Garden while the more informal planting style and type of plants help ease the transition into the wilder area of Sikkim, home to many of our heritage Rhododendrons. Given a few years "bedding in" time and this will be a lovely addition to the pleasure grounds!

2011-08-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

There is still scope to try new things. Our crop of Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana) in the Citrus House has worked a treat, and do not look out of place (as they would have been grown in this period). It is popular as a garnish in restaurants, but be warned-it is a member of the Solanaceae family so everything except the sweet yellow fruit is toxic! It is also however very high in Vitamin A and B complexes and, unusually for a fruit, high in protein so a great addition to the diet!

2011-08-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we experimented with an old technique of pineapple propagation (a technique considered dubious according to modern approaches). Well, wouldn't you know! The attempt to encourage new shoots on the pineapple stem has paid dividends and we now have several new buds breaking and some new "Jamaica Queen" plantlets will be along shortly!

Traditional building techniques at Heligan

2011-08-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

Its not just the gardens that require attention. The working buildings (in this image our lean to and potting shed in the Melon Yard) were badly in need of renovation, having not been touched since 1992! We are lucky here to have our own maintenance team that can undertake this task: carefully removing the old slates, numbering them, renewing the roof timbers and then replacing the slates. The old skills are employed here too, as all the work was done in the traditional way with lime mortar.

Pineapple propagation

2011-08-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

Those of you of a nervous disposition may want to look away now! This bizarre looking item is a stripped pineapple stem with a number of small shoots on it. We are privileged here to have access to a wonderful collection of Victorian gardening manuals, which is the source for this experiment, The stem is laid horizontally on a seed tray and just covered with compost. (We've used peat free multi-purpose, as we were right out of "rich, sweet, seedling compost"). It is then pampered in a heated propagation unit, in the hope that it may put out viable shoots. Well, you have to try these things, and it obviously worked for them!

Great grape cultivation!

2011-08-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

The grapes are growing on well in the Vinery, and just a final tweak is needed to perfect them. Left to their own devices, they would ripen, but to ensure that mould growth is kept to a minimum, and the grapes ripen evenly, the bunches are judiciously thinned to increase air circulation and to let the sunlight penetrate the bunches. A lovely summers' afternoon job.

Exotic home grown lemons!

2011-08-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

The weather may not have been exactly mediterranean recently, but this doesn't seem to have to have deterred the lemons, which are fruiting in abundance. They can be used in cooking, either fresh or preserved, or there is always that well-deserved Gin and Tonic!

Vegetable Envy

2011-08-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

No gardener can resist showing off, and with everything at perfect ripeness, what better time to show what's coming to the table very soon. This is the time of year when we can legitimately lean on our forks and reflect (only slightly smugly) on a job well done!

Pineapple flower

2011-08-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

This alien looking item is our next new pineapple, which will hopefully be ready early next Spring. At the risk of hubris, we finally seem to have cracked the pineapple care issue, with three coming into flower almost simultaneously. All we have to do is nurse it through the vagaries of an northern winter! After the last two severe winters, this will truly be a feat. Let you know next March!

Oxalis nightmare

2011-08-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

Some three years ago this pretty but thuggish plant made its appearance in the Vegetable Garden, and has quickly become a serious problem. Not only will it set seed if you let it (though I have read that the seeds are sterile), in addition to runners and a taproot, it also forms uncountable numbers of bulblets from the roots, anyone of which is a new plant. Digging it out (even when you think you have captured every runner and bulblet) spreads it more, and we have, against our normal practice, resorted to spraying. Both digging out and spraying would seem to be more effective in early Spring before the bulblets have chance to form, but it is clear that you ignore this weed at your peril!

Tomatoes Galore

2011-08-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

While the citrus trees are happily living a natural existence outdoors, their space is taken with a summer crop of tomatoes. But not just any tomatoes...we do our best to find older representatives of this standard fruit, and there are a lot still available. The Italians and French in particular delight in growing heritage varieties bursting with flavour for both salad and culinary use. So even if all you have is a windowsill you can still have fresh toms off the plant. Bought tomatoes just can't compare!

Powdery Mildew

2011-07-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

The hot sultry days that are causing the gardeners to get a bit grumpy, have caused a familiar problem to rear its head. Powdery mildew appears in warm humid conditions (usually accompanied by hosts of whiteflies!). Although unsightly, it is rarely fatal, but it will cause the plant to stress out and will reduce yields on edible crops. You can apply a fungicide on a regular basis but a mix of baking powder, liquid soap and water will act as a control and preventative (but not a complete cure!)

Onion harvest

2011-07-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, it is dry for the onion harvest, as both the beds and the glasshouses fill up with tons and tons of onions and shallots. If you can it is best to let them dry off on the bed first, as you will finish with a better storing crop, but if the weather is poor then an airy warm place indoors will do. We often wonder how we will use all these but they soon go!

2011-07-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

Globe artichokes

2011-07-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

These attractive vegetables are starting to make a re-appearance and are not as daunting to cook as you might think. Remove the inedible outer leaves and the "choke" (where the stem joins the flower head). You will be left with a smaller furled globe. Boil in some water with lemon juice added to keep its colour, then serve with Hollandaise Sauce (or just butter) to dip the leaves in and to mop up with the heart. Yum yum!

Are your cucumbers straight?

2011-07-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

The Victorian age was prolific in its inventiveness, but there are times to modern eyes when you just have to wonder "Why?". For instance, the Victorians were such perfectionists that they invented glass tubes to go over their cucumbers to make them grow straight...Now that really is taking uniformity to the extreme! (But then, when you next take a glance in a supermarket vegetable aisle, at all the "perfect" produce-are we that different really?)

Wow -just look at these apricots!

2011-07-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

Sharing space in the Peach House is a young apricot tree, which this year has rewarded us with the most amazing crop. Not only do the fruits look and taste incredible, even with your eyes closed the smell of the ripening peaches and apricots in the warm sun is just dreamy!

Peaches at Heligan

2011-07-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

July ushers in one of our most eagerly awaited crops - the peaches. These are incomparable for sweetness and juiciness, but they bruise if you even look at them hard! A bit too much of a temptation to the staff sometimes though, as we are sternly lectured on the unpardonable sin of "squeezing and leaving"!

Winter brassicas

2011-07-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

It always seems odd that in the sweltering summer days, thoughts of winter are intruding. But forward planning was (and is!) the key to a year round productive garden. If you want food to sustain you in the hungry months of winter and into early Spring, then it is time to put in winter brassicas: cabbage; kale; sprouts etc. The first of our crop to be planted is the purple and white sprouting broccoli, which will be harvested (we hope!) in March and April next year. If the pigeons don't get to it first...

Heligan's new garden

2011-07-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

The re-design of the scented garden continues with the final preparations for laying the turf. Here the soil, which was solid lumps of clay a week ago, is worked down into the finest of fine tilths to give the new grass the best possible start. With the final design now laid out on the ground, we are itching to see how it finally looks.

Luscious raspberries

2011-07-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

The cold winter, followed by the hot dry spell, has been a boon for fruit growers, who are celebrating a bumper crop this year. We are no exception with masses of big juicy fruits to be picked each day. So get out your jam pans and your dad's old wine recipe and make the most of
this wonderful glut!

Small (bean) is beautiful!

2011-06-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

Our heritage Martock beans are now ready to harvest (yes, I know it doesn't look like it!). Before the massive explosion in plant breeding that took place from the Eighteenth Century onwards and reached a frenzy in the Victorian era, crops were generally smaller and lower yielding (though the beans do taste good). So whenever you might wonder what the Victorians did for us, think of all those lovely vegetables!

Bee Conservation

2011-06-25T04:44:00.000-07:00

The foamy flowers of Meadowsweet cascading through the sage flowers which I left to keep the bees happy (and happy bees are good news for all of us!). With the current crisis in the bee populations and the loss of their natural habitat, gardens have a vital role to play in providing food and nesting sites for all bees. So help your local bees and put plants in for them! (bumblebeeconservation.org)

Gladioli

2011-06-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Crops that were required in the big house would also cover cut flowers, not only to decorate dining tables and bedrooms, but also as buttonholes and corsages to wear. The Head Gardener would devote as much care to the cultivation of flowers as he would to his edible crops (often forcing lily of the valley, amaryllis and violets for christmas decorations). At Heligan, we have the luxury of a separate flower garden, but many houses had just the one Productive Garden, where flowers were squeezed in amongst the vegetables.

Gooseberries

2011-06-25T03:48:00.000-07:00

A fruit that deserves more fame is the humble hedgerow gooseberry (or goosegog as I was taught). The original fruit was small and rather sharp but then Victorian nurserymen developed a passion for it, and gave us hundreds of new types that were larger and juicier, with a evocative names like Lancashire Lad or Yellow Champagne (a tad optimistic maybe!). Anyone fancy a gooseberry fool?

Pineapple Guava

2011-06-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Nestling in the comforting warmth of the Peach House is our prize Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) with its stunning flowers. This plant comes with a double whammy as both the flowers and fruit are edible-one of the reason why this glasshouse is not open to the public, unfortunately!

Vines and their aftercare

2011-06-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

We couldn't resist this lovely picture of the Vinery as the freesias come into flower, filling the air with their delicate fragrance. It is also a timely reminder to take excess growth off your vines, leaving only two or three leaves above the fruiting trusses. This will help increase the quality and quantity of your crop.

Tomato care

2011-06-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to take the sideshoots off your tomato plants (if you haven't already done so). As with the vines, this will help the plant to put more of its energy into producing good quality fruit, instead of wasting energy on unproductive side shoots.

Rain at last!

2011-06-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Finally after 3 months without rain, nature finally relented-and how! Pouring with rain doesn't hint at the volume and density of the last weeks' rain, which has been truly torrential. Although not good news for our visitors, it has at least freed us from the daily grind of watering, and plants that were really starting to struggle have perked their little leaves up. As gardeners, we can only sigh with relief!

Perfect pineapples

2011-06-10T04:42:00.000-07:00

The most eagerly awaited fruit of the summer! All the hard work and attention paid to the pineapples has paid off with the biggest one we've produced yet. Despite poor weather and pest problems, we have triumphed at last. Hurrah!

Trimming Leeks

2011-06-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

As the potato crop is lifted, the summer leeks are trimmed and planted. With our high tech measuring system (!), the leeks are topped and tailed to a specific size. This helps the seedlings develop strongly and encourages a substantial blanched bulb to form. Then its time to dib and puddle them, which sounds far more complicated than it actually is!

Heritage Strawberries

2011-06-04T03:17:00.000-07:00

The strawberry harvest is in full swing (it can take the best part of a day to pick). More modern cultivars, bred more for their ability to survive picking, packing and transporting to supermarkets, are a poor substitute for the intense flavour of such varieties as Cambridge Vigour or Talisman. The variety we grow, Royal Sovereign, truly deserves its description as the king of fruits-I love offering samples to visitors just to see the pleasure when they taste it!

Heritage Potatoes

2011-06-04T03:11:00.000-07:00

Yum yum yum! The first early potatoes are harvested exactly on time on the 1st June. Our heritage varieties, though not as heavy bearing as their more modern counterparts, have an incredible flavour. For home growers (unless you have an enormous family to feed), the older varieties are well worth seeking out. With their evocative names and superb flavour, what more do you need to grace your Sunday roast?

Biological Pest Control

2011-06-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

Victorian horticulturalists took every opportunity to make the most of new technology that could benefit the garden, and we are no different. The vast improvement in biological controls for glasshouse pests in the last twenty years, has introduced a welcome alternative to chemical controls. Here a predatory ladybird (rejoicing in the name Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) is released into the Peach House to deal with a serious mealy bug infestation. Munch away, you lovely little bugs!

Vegetables-Incredibly fresh!

2011-06-04T02:55:00.000-07:00

Despite a difficult start to the season, we are still managing to produce a wide range of crops for our restaurant. Pictured here are Khol rabi, asparagus, parsley, and the very first broad beans: all picked at the start of the day and at peak freshness for lunch-food doesn't get much better than this!