Gardens of Wales

[FrazerHenderson]

Thought I'd start a new thread showcasing gardens from Wales - perhaps others will start threads covering other countries - so as to provide easy access to information when on travels.

To kick it off COLBY WOODLAND GARDEN.

Location:     Amroth, Arberth/Narberth, SirBenfro/Pembrokeshire, Cymru/Wales (01834 811885).
Type:           Estate ornamental woodland with walled garden. (On Register of Welsh Historic Gardens)
Facilities:     Shop, Galleries, Craft Shop, Tea Shop and Restaurant.
Information:Video presentations, scant leaflet on woodland but comprehensive booklet about the Walled Garden.
Owners:      National Trust and Mr and Mrs Scourfield Lewis

The garden comprises of four distinct areas: a woodland stuffed with rhododendrons (over 700 varieties and species) as well as exotic trees including the UK Champion tree of Japanese Red Cedar; a shade garden with herbaceous plantings; a large damp meadow with native plants and which in July was absolutely humming with insect life; and a charming walled garden with a lovely summerhouse and many garden sculptures.

The garden would provide a superb visitation for a rhododendron enthusiast in May. There is a small rockery colection within the walled garden but perhaps the mixed planting in the shade garden would prove of more interest to SRGC members. Some of the plants in the woodland are labelled however a detailed planting catalogue would have been interesting since some of the plants ajudged from their size must have been planted between the mid/late 19th century and the pre-war years of the 20th century

In view of the timing of my visit the attached pictures necessaily show the walled garden in its summer garb.

[FrazerHenderson]

COLBY WOODLAND GARDEN

Further pictures
1&2 - small area of alpines.
3&4 Bench carvings
5 - alpines along the rill
6- a bed (B/W)
7- late flowering rhododendron

A visit to Colby Woodland Garden could be combined in a one day tour with Picton Castle Garden of which I'll write shortly.

[Paddy Tobin]

Franz,

Certainly an interesting looking garden and worth a visit. Good report.

Paddy

[FrazerHenderson]

As previously mentioned here's areview of PICTON CASTLE WOODLAND GARDEN

Location:     Rhos, near Hwlfford/Haverfordwest, Sir Benfro/Pembrokeshire, Cymru/Wales (01437 751326).
Type:           Woodland estate with walled garden.
Facilities:     Shop, Picture Galleries, Tea Shop/Restaurant, Plant Sales, Castle
Information:Booklet concerned mainly with castle but with some pictures of the grounds: slim garden leaflet.
Owners:      Picton Castle Trust (Charity); free entry for RHS members

The gardens cover about 40 acres and due to the effect of the North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) plants from milder climates thrive. The gardens consist of a traditional walled garden with fern house; a woodland area known as Peach House Wood which is a native woodland underplanted with native and exotic ferns (species and varieties); Peep-in-Walk woodland which is home to many specimens of rare or endangered conifers (part of the International Conifer Conservation Programme) as well a grove of tree ferns; and Bluebell Walk another extensive tract of native woodland.

1. Picton Castle
2. Sweeping stairway (a la County Life)
3&4 Bog tree sculpture prior to entering walled garden
5&6 Pool within walled garden

[FrazerHenderson]

PICTON CASTLE WOODLAND GARDEN

Here are some more garden shots:

1-3 Walled garden plantings
4- 5 Echiums etc
6 not known
7. Pseudowintera colorata?
8. Sorbus Joseph Rock with lichen (the air is truly clean in Pembrokeshire)

[FrazerHenderson]

PICTON CASTLE WOODLAND GARDEN


1. Gardener's dog tired
2 onwards mainly a selection of ferns including at 3&4 Dryopteris erythrosera 'Prolifera'. The head gardener is an acknowledged expert on ferns and the garden is well worth a specal visit for those with a specialist interest.

The gardens probably hold little interest for the purest rock gardener but for those whose interests are broader there is certainly much to admire and enjoy. These pictures capture but a little part of the experience.


Further gardens that I'll post wil include Glasevern Hall (with its classic pudding cake rockery)

[FrazerHenderson]

GLENSEVERN HALL GARDENS

Location:      Berriew, Y Trallwng/Welshpool, Powys (01686 640200)
Type:           Garden (20 acres) within parkland (register of Welsh Historic Gardens)
Facilities:     Shop, Craft galleries,Tea Shop
Information:Map of garden only
Owners:      Thomas family

I visited this garden simply because of its proximity to Powis Castle (with its babylonic gardens) and the Dingle nurseries and the fact that I had read that it was of historic interest. Yes, this garden does have a 4 acre lake (or lynn) with some substantial and significant trees, and yes it does have a very small-walled garden and some charming (but modern) sculptures but apart from that there is little to hold one's interest. Information is lacking on the planting and history of the garden and I found the staff unusually unfriendly. Much of the formal area is still in its infancy or it isbeing extensively remodelled.

That having been said the garden does contain what must be the worst example of a rock garden - and perhaps for amusement it is worth the steep admission for that alone!

1. Rock garden - a real pudding.
2. Close up to show how carefully the rocks have been placed in a naturalistic setting (!)
3. Grotto
4. Sculptures - not bad
5&6 Modern designs
7&8 Walled garden features

[FrazerHenderson]

DINGLE NURSERIES AND GARDEN

Location: Y Trallwng/Welshpool, Powys (01938 555145)
Type: 4 acre hillside woodland with semi-formal area.
Facilities: Extensive plant nursery; free tea and coffee!
Information: Garden plan; owners always willing to explain and inform
Owners: Joseph family.

Next to this super nursery, stuffed with tempting trees and herbaceous plants, is a wonderful 4 acre garden which descends the hillside. The main part consists of a myriad of twisting paths weaving their way through acer groves, dogwood copses, birch stands and pillows of rhododendrons. Stunning asiatic and american rarities sew the various units together. Two largish lakes through their reflections multiply the effect of the planting. At the top of the slope is a semi-formal area with herbaceous planting where one can sit and plan future purchases!

This is a great naturalistic garden where you can actually purchase the plants seen and the staff could not be more helpful in answering botanical queries. There are a limited number of alpines - woodlanders and shade plants are much more numerous. Well recomended. Having left the A490 north of Welshpool the garden is off the narrow B4392 travelling west.

1&2: Lakes and woods
3-5. Semi-formal area

[Susan]

Thank you Frazer.  They are wonderful.  Much appreciated, especially for those of us overseas who may be planning trips in the future.  Keep them coming.

Susan

[Lesley Cox]

An excellent idea Frazer, and maybe Susan and I can do one for NZ gardens later in the year. Yours all contain those magic words "Tea Shop" or even better "free tea and coffee." What about cake though?

[Paul T]

Frazer,

Wonderful pictures!!!  I'd love to see any of them, but the 700 Rhodos in Colby sound positively stunning.  Wish we had big old gardens like that around here in Canberra, but we don't!!  Then again this city was only started less than 80 years ago.    Fascinating to see the gardens elsewhere in the world.... only makes me want to travel and see them even more!! 

For reference...... Picton Castle Woodland Garden #6 unknown - looks to be one of the Kangaroo or Cats Paws, i.e Anigozanthos or something closely related.  Definitely the same look to the flower anyway, so thought you might want a name?  Aussie native if so!!

Again, great pics.  Thanks so much.

[ruweiss]

Frazer,thank you for taking us to these beautiful places!
Rudi