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They may not be as widely known about as our stunning National Botanic Garden of Wales, but across the nation there are dozens of incredible gardens to visit, lovingly nurtured by gardeners who want to inspire others. Rachael Misstear looks at 10 wonderful Welsh gardens that deserve a visit this year

1. Dyffryn Fernant, Pembrokeshire

Dyffryn Fernant garden is a wonderful surprise. Six acres of garden tucked into a valley in the lee of the Preseli uplands just before they plunge into the sea at Dinas Island in North Pembrokeshire.

A modern garden, made since 1996, it ranges from richly planted high colour and exotic planting in formal areas, journeys through a bog garden to wild marsh, pond and stream. Then it meanders through large blocks of ornamental grasses making sound and movement in the wind.

The wide variety of environments and the abundance of seating invite you to take your time and to investigate this place from different angles and perspectives, to bring your own beliefs, thoughts and feelings to your experience of the garden.

2. Erddig, a National Trust property on the outskirts of Wrexham

Shrouded in brambles and nettles when the National Trust first took over in 1973, the skeleton of the early 18th-century walled garden at Erddig could just be seen. In one of the largest garden restorations of its time – a total of four years – the garden has been restored to its original 18th-century design, with some later Victorian additions.

So what is it that makes the 13.5-acre walled kitchen garden so special? Maybe it’s the extensive statement lawns sprawling in front of the spectacular Victorian parterre, the trained fruit trees (there’s 148 different apple varieties grown at Erddig) reaching around one of the longest herbaceous borders in Wales, says the garden’s Lorraine Elliot. Or perhaps it’s the tranquil canal and pond water features inviting you to sit a while or the double avenues of pleached limes, Tilia, where ladies once walked in the shade. 

3. The Veddw, Monmouthshire

The garden is set in the wonderful countryside of the Welsh border above Tintern. There are two acres of ornamental garden and two acres of woodland.

Good things about Veddw? “The amazing view over the hedges when you arrive; the dark black reflecting pool which either makes people very sombre or very giggly; the grasses parterre, where ornamental grasses in box hedges echo the surrounding countryside, or the reminders in the garden of the previous inhabitants in their turf and mud huts,” says the owner Anne Wareham.

“The garden is part living sculpture and part a celebration of the colours and forms of plants. Old unploughed grassland is now conserved as meadow and the garden features robust plants, happy mostly to look after themselves, living together in mild disorder but made effective by their containment in the strong lines of hedges and paths. It’s a country garden, comfortable in its setting.”

4. Clyne Gardens, Swansea

Since William Graham Vivian, the son of a wealthy industrialist, bought the Clyne Castle estate in 1860, some of the historic figures to have visited include Neville Chamberlain, Stanley Baldwin and King Edward VIII.

But it was William’s nephew, Algermon, the estate’s owner from 1921 to 1952, who had the greatest influence on the gardens as we see them today. This is because he sponsored collecting expeditions overseas, including many of the internationally-famous rhododendrons that still bear their original collector’s numbers. His influence can also be seen in the landscaping, which features a Japanese Bridge, the Admiral’s Tower and the Gazebo that once gave a spectacular view of incoming ships to Swansea Bay.

At this time of year, the heather beds come into their own by providing bright early spring colour. Near the beds is a large lime tree planted by Princess Mary of Teck to commemorate her visit to Clyne Castle in the latter part of the 19th century.

5. Norwood gardens, Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire

Norwood Gardens extends to nearly three acres and consists of nine linked themed gardens. There is plenty to interest the keen gardener or the casual visitor throughout the season. The Bamboo Garden is home to a wide variety of architectural plants whilst the Mediterranean Garden evokes the hot gardens of Southern France (although weather to match is not guaranteed!).

Owner Michael Oliver said:“The Quiet Garden is cut off from the rest by a high privet hedge. Here the visitor can sit and enjoy relative seclusion.”

6. Plas Yn Rhiw, Pwllheli, Gwynedd

A woodland garden, a stone’s throw from the sea, protected by the formidable slopes of Mynydd Rhiw, The National Trust’s Plas yn Rhiw garden boasts a vast array of flowering trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. Borders are framed with established box hedges, gravel and grass paths meander their way past exotic and unusual species that thrive in this unique microclimate.

Gardener Llifon Jones said: “There is something for all seasons, with the snowdrop woodland being a well-known local favourite in winter; magnolias, camellias and rhododendron dominating spring; hydrangeas, fuchsias and herbaceous perennials creating a sea of cool summer tones is followed by nature’s own fireworks display of autumnal reds, orange and yellows.

“Woodland walks, passing through a wildflower meadow leads to the recently planted native fruit orchard containing more than 30 different varieties of Welsh throats. The view over Cardigan Bay from the orchard is breathtaking.”

7. Gelli Uchaf, Rhydcymerau, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire

Visitors to this garden under the National Gardens Scheme (private gardens open for charity) often describe it as magical and inspiring, which is how the owners feel about this special place in upland Carmarthenshire. Centred around an old longhouse with spectacular views, the sloping site has allowed several different garden areas to be created. Masses of insect friendly flowers are used to create a garden alive with colour, interest and biodiversity throughout the seasons. There’s even an exhibition of butterfly and moth pictures and some of Julian and Fiona’s artwork inspired by the garden for visitors to explore. If you can’t visit in person, then share the experiences, innovative ideas and views with Julian and Fiona through their fascinating garden blog and website: https://thegardenimpressionists.wordpress.com

8. Glansevern Hall Garden

Over 25 acres of glorious gardens surrounding a Greek revival house on the banks of the River Severn, the gardens are a mixture of formal planting, lawns, a huge lake, as well as many unusual and ancient specimen trees, not to mention spectacular views over the surrounding countryside.

There is little record of the original layout, except that the Walled Garden is known to have been planned to its present dimensions in 1805. Its interior was entirely remodelled in 2001 to offer nine separate “rooms” including “The Roses” and “Fairytale”.

The impressive Rock Garden and Grotto is said to date from around 1840, and there is a garden plan of 1880 signed by Edward Milner, father of Henry Ernest Milner who wrote ‘The Art and Practise of Landscape Gardening’ in 1890.

9. The Dingle Garden, Welshpool

The Dingle Garden is a secret gem hidden in the beautiful mid-Wales countryside just a few miles west of Welshpool.

A stunning four-acre garden, making imaginative use of the dramatic deep valley and connecting small lakes. A network of paths meander down through an informal mix of shrubs and trees with thoughtful underplanting offering unexpected and stunning views of the main lake and the hills beyond.

A garden for all seasons with colour co-ordinated beds offering the visitor realistic and achievable ideas for their own gardens. Many of the plants grown here are available for sale in the large nursery alongside.

“Autumn is probably the most stunning time but any season will give you a chance to relax in this peaceful place,” said Jill Rock at the garden’s nursery.

10. Colby Woodland Garden, Amroth, Pembrokeshire

Steve Whitehead, head gardener at the National Trust garden, said: “One of the joys of working in a garden all year round, is the chance to watch the seasonal cycles of nature at close quarters. It’s a source of constant amazement, how the same view slowly takes on a different mood with the growth of one plant, the flowering of another, the seed heads of a grass opening, or the slow turning of leaf colour. There’s a whole valley full of colour and constant change at Colby, but the walled garden is the part of Colby most

of us see most often, and it gives us a concentrated, constantly renewing microcosm of the changes happening outside in the wider landscape.

“Perhaps that’s why gardens appeal to us. They root us firmly in natural cycles that deep down we know we are still tied to.”

When it comes to attractive plants on lawns and in flower gardens, beauty doesn’t have to be imported from elsewhere. Native varieties work well, too.

Many of the grasses and flowers that adorn our yards are exotic species — plants that were brought here from other parts of the world. Maintaining the beauty of these plants is often a high-maintenance job. Many exotic species require high amounts of water, fertilizer, pesticides or some other type of labor-intensive chore that takes more of your time — and money — than you had originally intended.

An increasing number of people are realizing that native plants — the trees, flowers, and grasses that were here to begin with — can be just as beautiful to look at and a lot less trouble to grow.

Native plants are a good choice for landscaping, whether you have a small plot in the city or large acreage in the country. Increasing environmental awareness, a desire to connect with nature on a personal level and limited time to devote to home landscape and land management projects are reasons to turn to natural landscaping alternatives. The plants and patterns that occur naturally in our prairies, forests, savannas, wetlands and glades can give us good landscaping ideas about what we can do around our homes.

There are many benefits associated with a well-planned, diverse native landscape. One of these is wildlife attraction. The songbirds, butterflies, small reptiles and mammals that you go to parks and other publicly owned facilities to see can often be enticed to your backyard with the proper plantings. These plants provide food, nesting and other habitat essentials required by these animals. Those instinctual needs will draw a variety of wildlife to specific plants, whether they’re growing at a nature center or in your backyard.

As mentioned above, native plants usually require much less care than exotics. The reason for this is simple: Millions of years of evolution have adapted these plants to the conditions found here. That means they’ve grown accustomed to the soil, weather, insect pests and many of the other factors that affect plant growth in the Ozarks. Exotic plants have few of these inherent adaptations and, as a result, can often only be sustained through extensive “life-support” procedures such as heavy watering, fertilization or pest-control applications.

Native plants come in many shapes, colors and forms. Those interested in growing indigenous plants have a wide variety of flowers, shrubs, grasses, small trees and large trees from which to choose. The best natural landscaping plan is one that involves a mixture of plant types, but space can be a limiting factor and, if it is — that’s still all right. Native plants can work for you whether you have 10 acres on the edge of town or a single flowerbed alongside your driveway.

Some people shy away from native landscaping techniques because they think a native-plant landscape will have a rougher, “woollier” appearance than the well-manicured flower beds to which they’re accustomed. That’s not necessarily a fair criticism, because you still control the neatness of your plantings. Just because you have native plants doesn’t mean that you can’t mow, weed-eat, edge and do all the other aesthetic maintenance procedures that are done with exotic plantings.

People can learn more about native plants and their landscaping benefits on April 5 at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Naturescaping Symposium and native plant sale at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center. No registration is required for this event, which is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Grow Native program, which is supported by the Missouri Department of Conservation and public and private organizations, also contains excellent information about how native plants can fit into your backyard design schemes. More information about the program can be found at your nearest Department of Conservation office or on the Grow Native website, www.grownative.org.