The Lost Gardens of Heligan: Storytelling, Nature, Horses & the Power of Place | Laura Chesterfield | LFRF 49
About this episode
Laura Chesterfield discusses the significance of storytelling and nature in building a sense of place, drawing from her experiences at The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
“ If you lead with heart and joy, you end up with heart and joy.” – Laura Chesterfield “ It’s not about being an expert in everything — it’s about being interested in everything.” – Laura Chesterfield Laura Chesterfield grew up inside one of the most magical landscape restorations in the world: The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. As the daughter of Heligan co‑founder Tim Smit, Laura watched the famous gardens emerge from decades of abandonment after the First World War — a process that revealed not only a remarkable landscape, but powerful stories about people, nature, restoration, and belonging. In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Laura about what it means to build a sense of place — and why storytelling, nature, animals, and imagination are essential to human wellbeing. Laura shares the extraordinary story of Heligan’s rediscovery, when the signatures of gardeners who had left for World War I were found written on a wall in the “Thunderbox Room,” marking the moment the gardens fell silent for decades. From tropical jungles and giant tree ferns to regenerative farming, rare breed livestock, poetry hidden in landscapes, and sculptures like the…
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