Cutting Back the Giants in The Jungle


This week, Henry has been deep among the towering Gunnera in The Jungle, cutting back their enormous leaves with autumn’s arrival well underway. Each leaf, broad as a small table, is folded and layered to protect the crown beneath from winter cold.


The work marks one of the most dramatic seasonal changes in this part of the garden. Within days, the lush canopy of prehistoric green transforms into an earthy, sheltered understorey where moisture and warmth are preserved. The stems, thick and fibrous, will slowly return their nutrients to the soil, feeding next year’s growth.

'The Gunnera man'

1980's Tremayne family album

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Wellness & Lifestyle

To garden is to live seasonally, to return to presence through care, patience, and daily attention.

Here you'll find quiet reflections, sensory rituals, and simple ways to bring the gardens calm into your home and life.

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Flowers & Crafting

Some things we grow for colour, others for scent and some for the joy of preserving fleeting beauty.

At Heligan, flowers are not just grown, but gathered, dried, and woven into the rhythms of home and celebration.

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Tools & Techniques

From hand-forged blades to long-trusted methods passed between gardeners, the tools we use shape not just our soil but our understanding.

Here, you'll find the implements that bring the Heligan gardens to life and the quiet knowledge behind their use, shared by those who use them daily.

Click here to discover hands-on knowledge that shapes every season

From Garden to Plate

The journey doesn't end at the seed bed. What begins with planting often finds its way into the kitchen, into the jar, onto the plate.

Explore recipes, harvest rituals, and preserving techniques inspired by Heligan's productive gardens - carrying the gardens story into every meal.

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Grow with the Seasons

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