Cornwall in southwest England is a mysterious and fabulous place that is imbued with the spirit of stories and legends about King Arthur. The Lost Gardens of Heligan are the largest botanical garden in Europe, which occupies about 80 hectares. Many tourists, travelers, nature lovers, and romantics come here.

Today we will tell you about one magical statue – the famous sculpture of the Earth Maiden, which was created by two local artists, brother and sister Pete and Sue Hill. The Earth Maiden appeared here in 1997 and is already an integral part of the Forest Path in the Lost Gardens.

This isn’t just any old sculpture; it’s alive. Her appearance, specifically her “clothing” and “hair,” alter depending on the season, as grasses, convolvulus, and moss grow and wither.

As a result, it is bright and flowering in the spring and summer, and it “dresses” in more subdued tones in the winter and autumn. The virgin is built on a timber frame with clay put on top.

The sculpture’s face is made of a clay, cement, and sand mixture. The Virgin was smeared with yogurt to allow lichen to grow on it. On the Virgin’s head, forest sedges and crocosmia grow. Climbing plants are used to make the Virgin’s clothing. And it’s really lovely in late spring.