Seventy-seven ponds discovered at Cornish garden

Seventy-seven ponds have been discovered by a team restoring a Cornish wildlife site.

Lanjeth Nursery and Water Gardens, near St Austell, said it found the ponds, grouped in 11 rows of seven, while working at the site. The gardens were purchased in 2022 by four friends after the site had been left abandoned.

The team said the water bodies were hidden by vegetation and they were now working to restore them.

Norman Trebilcock, a director at the site, said they were pleased to have found the ponds and had already started using wood from willow trees cleared from the area for the garden's new forestry school.

"Sustainability is one of our things and we've used all the willow we cut out to make the fences around the forestry school," Mr Trebilcock said.

He said the ponds were used by a former owner to grow lilies.

He added a path had been installed to allow visitors to see the 77 ponds.

The garden's forestry school, known as the Dragonfly Centre, has features including a fire pit and three ponds.

Jo Plester, the school's leader, said the aim of the site was to get children being creative, engaged with and curious about nature.

Ms Plester added: "Our ethos here is that it's child-led and we just go with the flow and at their own pace."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].