Sustainability
The natural environment is absolutely paramount to all that we do at The Lost Gardens of Heligan. We celebrate the incredible flora and fauna that nature brings us, as well as many of its creatures and inhabitants. We work in a variety of ways to ensure that we are enhancing the sustainability of our site and the wider environment. Here are the details of our current environmental projects…
Heligan’s 10 Green bottles
- Energy - We monitor our energy usage and actively seek ways to reduce the amount we use.
- Water - We collect rainwater for use in the gardens and install efficient devices where possible. For example we have low flush toilets and an onsite bore hole.
- Recycling - By championing the purchase of recyclable materials and encouraging all staff and visitors to actively reduce, reuse and recycle.
- Pollution - We limit our use of chemicals and maintain safe disposal methods where chemicals are in use. We will undertake regular surveys of our water courses to maintain high water and be aware of any threats to this.
- Food - In our productive garden we grow around 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs. All of our produce travels just a few yards to our kitchens where our chefs transform them into delicious and nutritious meals.
- Transport - We aim to keep onsite vehicle use to a minimum and also combine offsite trips to cover multiple errands thereby reducing our journeys. We are also investigating electric car charging facilities for our customers and will look to replace our company vehicles with electric alternatives as and when the current fleet needs replacing.
- Wildlife - Our wildlife hide champions the care of a wide range of native wildlife species. Our love of wildlife is also displayed with our onsite insect hotel, bee hives and farm areas.
- Culture - Each year our gardens play host to a huge variety of events, ranging from children’s activities to theatre performances and garden related talks and experiences. All of these events help us to celebrate and share Cornwall’s unique culture and heritage.
- Outdoors - We actively encourage all of our visitors to make the most of the outdoors whatever the weather. Our gardens feature year round wild play facilities for children and our events are often focused around outdoor play and education for all ages.
- Community - The towns and villages that surround us are really important to us, we have a very loyal local customer and staff base. We work in a number of ways to support our community and its businesses, committees and environmental campaigns.
How you can be a ‘green champion’ during your visit…
- Leave the car at home - Heligan is serviced by the Pentewan cycle trail that begins in St Austell and follows a lovely woodland setting. Our site is also accessible by a public footpath from Mevagissey, or if you are coming from Fowey then why not hop on the ferry to Mevagissey. For full details of these travel options please see our Find us page.
- Bring your reusable items - We are working hard to reduce our dependency on single use items, to help us please bring your own shopping bags, water bottle or coffee cup with you. Bringing you bags will save you 5p per bag and reusable drinks containers also attract a discount in our catering facilities. We welcome you to picnic on site but encourage the use of reusable picnic equipment and minimal food packaging.
- Reduce, reuse and recycle - We pride ourselves on our recycling efforts at Heligan, please join us by sorting your waste in our bins accordingly and take inspiration from our ways to reuse popular waste items.
- Enjoy the great outdoors - Heligan is open 364 days a year, come rain or shine our beautiful natural landscape is yours to explore. Soak in the sights, the wildlife and the flora and fauna- celebrate all the wonders that nature brings us and use that to inspire your own sustainable actions.
