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Cornwall, in the Southwest of England, is a magical place steeped in fairytales and the legends of King Arthur. Here lie the mysterious Lost Gardens of Heligan—Europe’s largest garden restoration project that spans 200 acres and is perfect for explorers, plant lovers, and romantics.
Inside Heligan, you’ll discover many secrets, and one of them is the iconic Mud Maid sculpture, lovingly crafted by local artists—brother and sister duo, Pete and Sue Hill. The sculpture was commissioned back in 1997 and has become an inseparable part of The Lost Gardens’ Woodland Walk ever since.
The so-called Mud Maid is a living sculpture. That means that her ‘clothes’ and ‘hair’ change with the seasons as grass, ivy, and moss grow and then wither. So you’ll see that she has a vibrant appearance in Spring and in Summer; and she will look completely different in Autumn and Winter.
More info: PeteAndSueHill.co.uk | Heligan.com | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
Image credits: nela.fernweh
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
Image credits: ejlilie
Image credits: _timmurray_
Image credits: Stuart Richards
Image credits: Wulan Nephin
The Mud Maid, along with the Hills’ other sculpture, The Giant’s Head, are meant to bring a sense of mystery to Heligan and to enhance the woodland experience.
The Mud Maid was built by crafting a hollow framework made of timber and windbreak netting; the brother-sister sculptors applied sticky mud to it.
The face of the sculpture is made from a mix of mud, cement, and sand. Fun fact: originally, it was coated in yogurt to make lichens grow. Meanwhile, the Maid’s head is full of Woodsedge and Montbretia while ivy makes up her clothes.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan were established by the Tremayne family back in the 18th century and are one of the most famous British botanical gardens. Before World War I, the Tremanynes employed 22 gardeners to keep the estate prim and proper.
However, once the war started, many of the gardeners went off to the front. After WWI ended, the number of gardeners diminished and the estate fell into disrepair.
The Hills’ living sculptures attract thousands of visitors to the 400-year-old gardens each and every year.
Image credits: Daderot
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
Image credits: heligangardens
Image credits: joanna_eden
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
Image credits: Pete & Sue Hill
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Author, BoredPanda staff
Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.
Author, BoredPanda staff
Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.
Author, Community member
This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.
Author, Community member
This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.
thats beautiful and how it represents the change of seasons. with the sign that says ‘dont cross the fence..do not wake her up’ i would probably not cross the fence and believe she would wake up! for me its not creepy but amazing! reminds me of te fiti in moana
Hauntingly beautiful! It does make you think of something from a fairy tail or mythology. I need to add this to my bucket list of places to visit.
Well, this is one ritual away from a Golem… and really effing neat!
thats beautiful and how it represents the change of seasons. with the sign that says ‘dont cross the fence..do not wake her up’ i would probably not cross the fence and believe she would wake up! for me its not creepy but amazing! reminds me of te fiti in moana
Hauntingly beautiful! It does make you think of something from a fairy tail or mythology. I need to add this to my bucket list of places to visit.
Well, this is one ritual away from a Golem… and really effing neat!
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