Lanhydrock estate blooms again

Lanhydrock House was hit hard by 1990 storms

A 13-year project to restore the grounds of one of the South West's historic houses to its Victorian splendour is almost complete.

The work at the Ladhydrock estate near Bodmin is re-introducing long-forgotten features, including hedges and a 150-year-old pond.

Warden Matt Lewis said: "The pond has been totally hidden and never visited.

"Now it's a feature and the flowers and insects will benefit."

'Very dramatic'

The severe storm of 1990 felled 1,000 trees on the estate.

The National Trust then took the opportunity to restore the grounds.

The main avenue has been planted with new sycamore and beech trees.

Other work includes maintaining the grounds without fertiliser.

Brian Meulaner of the National Trust said: "The change has been very dramatic.

"There are now loads of new flowers, whereas it used to be just grass."