Lost garden finds space for dog lovers (From This is The West Country)

Lost garden finds space for dog lovers

9:10am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in Cornwall

The Lost Gardens of Heligan has revoked a seasonal ban on dogs during key tourist months.

A spokesman for the gardens said while some councils are looking to introduce 24-hour dog bans, Heligan has followed the liberal attitude of cities such as Santa Cruz, America and lifted its decade long seasonal ban on dogs.

George Elworthy, new MD at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, added: “We have a strong contingent of locals who enjoy visiting the gardens with their well-behaved dogs throughout the winter months and we realised there was really no reason to exclude them during busier parts of the year.

"For many, a dog is a very important family member and people, particularly if they are visiting the South West on holiday, are loathe to leave them behind. I hope that by making this change, it will enable even more people to enjoy the Lost Gardens.”

Heligan is promoting the decision with a poster advertising the fact that it ‘Welcomes dogs and well-behaved owners all year round.’ A point Elworthy is quick to make. “The argument against dogs is generally that they can cause mess and spoil an area for other people. We’re using the phrase ‘well-behaved owners’ humorously; but it is the case, we rely on all our visitors to respect the gardens so that others can enjoy them too, and we’re generally fortunate to attract visitors who are of this mind-set.”

The Lost Gardens of Heligan are open 10am-6pm daily. Parking is free and there is also free entry to the Heligan Plant Centre, Shop and Tearoom.