The Lost Gardens of Heligan host team away days, workshops and conferences for up to 190 people, and weddings in a luxury tipi for up to 80 guests. The restored Victorian gardens cover more than 200 acres of garden and estate at Pentewan, near St Austell in Cornwall, England.
Seminars and company events
Business events run through the Centre for Nature Futures, a learning space inside the gardens. Its main room, the Seedpod, is a light-filled hall with views across the orchard and wetland. It seats up to 190 people theater-style and has a separate smaller area for breakout sessions, audio-visual equipment and its own kitchenette. The Lodge is the smaller option, for meetings, workshops and planning sessions of up to 30.
Away days are built to a brief, starting with a conversation about the team and its goals. A day can combine room hire with nature-led activities run by the Nature Futures practitioners: wildlife spotting, sessions on wetlands and beavers, reflective guided walks, creative workshops and seasonal exploration of the estate. What is on offer depends on the season and the group, and the team quotes each program on request.
Weddings and receptions
Ceremonies and receptions take place in a luxury tipi for up to 80 guests, with the gardens as the setting for outdoor vows and a wet-weather location always kept ready. The wedding team can discuss larger numbers. Couples may bring their own cake and favors, the team can help source a specific drink, and wine can be brought in against a corkage charge.
Rooms and capacities
The Seedpod seats up to 190 theater-style and has a smaller annex area for breakouts. The Lodge holds up to 30. The wedding tipi takes up to 80 guests. Outdoor activities use the gardens, the wetland and the wider estate.
Accommodation
There are no bedrooms on site. Heligan keeps a list of trusted local providers, and The Beehive in Pentewan is one of the places it recommends for guests staying nearby.
Catering
Food is seasonal and prepared under Head Chef Tom Hannon, and the estate's Heligan Kitchen cooks with meat reared at Heligan and local produce. The kitchen can cater for dietary needs and allergies, though it is not a nut-free or gluten-free kitchen.
History and setting
Heligan was a Victorian garden that fell into bramble after its gardeners left to fight in the First World War. It was rediscovered by chance about thirty years ago and restored. Today visitors walk through the Productive Gardens, the Pleasure Grounds and The Jungle. The Centre for Nature Futures carries that story forward with work on nature recovery and education. The garden is a Grade II listed park and garden, and it opens to the public most days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Getting there
The address is The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Pentewan, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 6EN. St Austell station, on the main line from London Paddington, is the nearest railhead, and Cornwall Airport Newquay is the closest airport.
