ONE of Herefordshire's oldest attractions is getting a new lease of life.

In June, the stunning new Van Kampen gardens at Hampton Court will be opening to the public, bringing back echoes of the fabulous formal gardens at the north Herefordshire mansion which became famous throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The house and gardens on the 1,000-acre estate were founded in 1430, but had been sadly neglected in recent years until purchased in 1994 by the Van Kampen family who have been committed to restoring the magnificent property.

New features in the garden project include an extension of the original ha-ha, which now commands impressive views of the reinstated lake and new gatehouse.

There is a yew maze with a folly at its centre, hiding the entrance to a tunnel leading to a hermit's grotto and sunken garden with a pool and waterfalls, as well as parterres and pavilions.

The garden's water system is naturally powered by a water wheel which supplies water to the many water features, canals and waterfalls. Both the garden and the kitchen garden are managed entirely organically.

Almost all the work has been carried out by the estate's own employees, with the groundsmen carrying out the landscaping operations and a team of gardeners developing and implementing planting plans.

Masons and carpenters, who were originally employed for restoration work on the house, have formed the garden buildings and water features.

County-based artist and designer, Simon Dorrell, created the original designs for the gardens and Hampton Court manger, Edward Waghorn, is overseeing the estate's transformation.

The project, which has already been going on for four years, is still far from complete with many more fascinating creations still to be unveiled.

These include the organic kitchen garden, the restoration of the Joseph Paxton-designed conservatory and the construction of a 32-metre-span wooden footbridge over the River Lugg.