Stores and Tools of Heligan
The dry cool upper story of the Fruit and Root Store housed a year-round evolution of produce. Modern Heligan is anticipating its future crops to once again fill the room's wooden racks. In the dark downstairs forcing room, spring bulbs were brought to bloom for the manor house tables at Christmas and a darkened manure bed would force rhubarb, chicory and seakale. Winter root crops are currently stored in bins of sand. On our visit, a beautiful crop of mushrooms were sprouting in raised beds of black gold while upstairs, the sign hanging from the rafters in photo was reminding one of the real-time gardeners to take home his eggs.
Some of the old ways loose their romance at the thought of lawn mowing with a scythe.
Deep cool walls of stone and plaster made for Victorian 'refrigerators' to store the produce.
The implements are laid within reach on the work bench; to handle and hold, to read their stories. It was hard for me to leave the tool shed.
Burlap sacks hang to dry in the pole shed where ladders and barrows were stored and mounds of potting soil was mixed to the Head Gardener's life-learned recipes .
A British lawnkeeper's magic weapon, the heavy roller, irons grassy earth smooth into a green satin spread.
Heligan
Wild : A Year of Nature in the Lost Garden
by Colin Howlett