The Gardens of Wales
Wales is a country renowned for it’s spectacular National Gardens.
Ranging from picturesque walled gardens to rambling woodlands, the gardens
of Wales offer an eclectic mix of plant life, broad enough to dazzle any
gardening enthusiast. This website aims to provide an historical account
of the diverse fauna and flora found at a number of historic gardens across
Wales.
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Portmeirion - Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd
This unique Italianate setting, developed by William Ellis between 1925 and 1975, is surrounded by the picturesque Gwyllt woodlands and sub tropical gardens. William Ellis had a vested interest in the conservation and protection of Wales’ natural beauty, reflected in the spectacular landscape design that surrounds this remarkable village.
The original vegetation of the area would have constituted trees of sissle oak, birch, rowan with the added growth of alder and willow in wetland areas. However, due to it’s mild climate and innovative garden designers, Portmeirion now hosts a remarkable array of Himalayan flowering trees and other exotics.
The garden’s first plantings date back to the 1850s and included trees common to this particular era such as the tulip tree, variegated sycamore, large beech and bay trees, that still populate the woodland today. The gardens are awash with colour throughout the seasons. The chrome yellow of the gingko biloba during the autumn and the campbelli with it’s wonderful pink blossom at easter provide a particularly striking backdrop to this fantastic setting.
(Credit - NTPL/Ian Shaw)
Set in an 80 acre area above the River Conwy with views towards Wales’ famous Snowdonia National park, Bodnant Gardens are considered to be some of the most beautiful in the UK. Planted by the second Lord of Aberconway, the gardens juxtapose a set of formal terraces against the diverse nature of a wildflower garden.
Throughout the garden, the visitor can witness an array of traditional magnolias, rhododendrons, shrubs and trees alongside plants of a more exotic nature originating from China, North America and Japan. During the spring, the camellias, magnolias and daffodils burst into flower accompanied by the graceful Japanese azalea in mid-may. The summer months herald an explosion of colour as the terraced gardens become awash with roses, water lilies and the blue flowering hydrangeas.
Accompanied by the spectacular colours of the autumnal leaf foliage, set against the backdrop of one of Wales’s premiere National Parks, Bodnant gardens are a spectacle to be enjoyed through the turn of every season
Beautiful summertime gardens, Bodelwyddan Estate is situated in Denbighshire
Bodelwyddan was created by Sir John Hay Williams from 1830-1852. However, the history of the estate has been dated back to 1460. The estate was purchased by Clwyd County Council during the 1980s and , in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and V & A gallery in London, has developed into a prestigious visitors centre housing many important works of art.
The castle is surrounded by beautiful formal gardens and a network of peaceful nature trails and walks that meander through the estate’s substantial woodland. Of particular interest are the arts and crafts formal gardens created by T.H Mawson and the training trenches situated in the castle ground, used by soldiers during the first world war..
Powys Castle and Gardens
Perhaps the most famous gardens in Wales, Powys Castle’s gardens combine terraces filled with orangeries and enormous yew trees set against a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.
The castle was originally built in 1200 by Welsh princes and later embellished by the Herbert and Clive families. The red medieval castle provides a backdrop to a myriad of beautiful terraces leading down to fantastic cultivated gardens and a woodland wilderness.
Borders overflowing with herbaceous plants are set next to rose gardens, wildflowers and a variety of trees providing fantastic spectrums of colour, especially during the autumn months. The woodland wilderness offers a different but equally remarkable setting to the formal terraces, complete with circular walks and views back to the castle.
Powys Castle and surrounding gardens - Welshpool
Situated in the picturesque Aeron valley, the extensive walled gardens at Llanerchaeron, surround a historic Welsh gentry estate and eighteenth century villa. The estate houses a vast stretch of parkland and a lake with many walks open to the general public.
The garden offers an interesting insight into the evolution of garden technology from the nineteenth century, holding many interesting archaeological remains such as an underground flue, believed to have been responsible for heating soil under frames during the winter. Left to fall into a state of ill repair, a volunteer programme has diligently undertaken the difficult task of restoring these gardens to their former beauty.
The gardens are filled with many interesting fruit trees such as the passion fruit and a variety of organically grown vegetables. Former box hedges have been re planted and a collection of original herbs have been planted along the South wall of the East garden. The medieval magicians of Myddfai did not originate far from here and, it is believed that they would have used such herbs in their ancient medical practices.
The gardens are also home to an astounding 250 varieties of daffodil and apple trees that date back as far as 150 years.
Llanerchaeron Gardens - Aberaeron, Ceredigion
(Credit - NTPL/Andrew Butler)
Celebrated for their beauty by the poet John Dyer, the gardens at Aberglasney
have been subject to a major recent restorational project.
The first reference point to this historic estate dates from the time of Henry Tudor. The estate passed to Bishop Rudd in the 1600s and then later to Robert Dyer whose son John Dyer immortalised the garden in his poem entitled‘Country Walk’. The striking diversity of the garden is evoked through the lines “Her gardens trim, her terrace walks, // her wildernesses.
The restoration project, begun in 1995 has sough to capture this beauty and diversity. The domineering yew tunnel, planted by the Dyer family in the eighteenth century is still in existence today and one of the distinguishing features of the garden. Other areas of interest include the cloister garden with it’s parapet walkway, a unique survivor of the style of garden found in early records.
The stream garden offers a more organic environment, boasting a magnificent pond surrounded by waterloving perennials. Covering the meandering river bed are found bluebells, ramsons and the rare wood anenomies. Other gardens not to be missed include the portico, pool garden, lower and upper walled gardens, church view and Bishop Rudd’s walk and gatehouse.
The secret gardens of Aberglasney - Carmarthenshire
