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Published: April 30th 2021
"So what is your favourite garden then ?" I asked . The reply from the driver about the best garden he had ever seen was exactly the same as the one that was going round my head . "Ninfa" Glenn said. "Yes I agree " Our memory of our day in the Italian garden of Ninfa remained long in the memory. The sun had been shining and we had wandered around the beautiful garden . There was none like it . We had never seen one so awe inspiring and we picked the best time of the year to see it . Not too hot , Spring when all the flowers were in full swing.
" Villa D'Este was good " I said . "but not as beautiful as Ninfa" "Anything in this country ?" We thought a lot about that and came up with Chatsworth , Erddig . Inverewe in Scotland - the list went on and on but we never got anywhere near Ninfa. "How about Trsteno in Croatia ?" Nice but nothing like Ninfa. Despite coming up with gardens in the UK and Europe we could find nothing to compare with Ninfa. . "Casserta? " Nice but
not up to the standard of Ninfa. It didn't seem to matter which gardens we came up with Ninfa kept on coming right up at the top and without compare. We gave up in the end and made it the mission of today not to compare.
So where were we ? We were standing in the gardens of Bodnant in the Conway valley looking across at the mountains of Snowdonia . "Beauty surrounds us , but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it " Rumi wrote these words and yes beauty was surrounding us . Both in the gardens and out in the wild landscape of Snowdonia. The mountains towering in the distance and creating a back drop to the gardens . The day was early and we were out in the Spring sunshine determined to make the most of the day.
We had made our minds up to come this way last week . It should have been a workday but with a great deal of flexi and holidays untaken due to Covid it seemed sensible to take a day out of our busy lives. A day to travel just a little
and have a quiet reflective day. I chose Bodnant Garden because it was just an hours drive away from home . We had been before but that was years ago and we felt it was time to go round again. I never took any photos on the last visit . For some reason I had forgotten my phone . This time I made sure the pre-ordered tickets were in my bag together with the National Trust membership cards and most importantly Sion .
We left home at 9.15 with timed entry tickets booked for entrance between 10.30 and 11.00. The A55 was busy but then it always is busy as it is on the North Wales Expressway . The road that hugs the North Wales coastline all the way to Anglesey and the port of Holyhead - the gateway to Ireland . We were shocked at how busy the gardens were when we arrived . Marshalls stood in two lines letting cars in . It seemed very organised . We already had read what to expect . A completely different experience to pre- Covid visits. They held placards which told us to stay in the car and to show
our tickets through the closed windows of the car. The tickets had arrived via Eventbrite straight to our phones . The marshalls should have asked for membership cards but did not . They smiled , gave a cursory look at the phone and then directed us to the carparks . The car parks were full. Far fuller than we expected. Even the overflow car park was being used . We commented on the number of motorhomes parked up. There was room here for overnight parking for motorhomes . The National Trust are missing a trick not allowing us to stay overnight on their car parks . The revenue would be fantastic multiplied across each and every one of their properties .
The café was open but only for limited services . A one way system worked and only one person was served at any time . The selection of food was small . Two types of sandwiches, a choice of bacon or sausage bap, the usual National Trust cakes. Hot and cold drinks available . We chose hot chocolate and sat outside to drink them. The service was for some reason incredibly slow and queues built up as the
three staff seem to fall over each doing one job each . One making the drinks , the second taking the order and payment and one standing about doing nothing . Perhaps as the day wore on they refined the process .
The tables were spread around to maintain social distancing . The chairs all pushed up against the tables ready for use. The volunteers armed with disinfectant . They ran between tables cleaning them and the chairs between use. We felt very safe . Nothing there made us worry about Covid.
The path down to the garden was divided in the middle with a barrier . One way down and one way back up. Everyone kept to the correct side and all kept at a distance . The shops were closed although it was possible to buy plants to take home when you completed your visit .
The garden was founded by Henry Davis Pochin a Leicestershire born Victorian industrial chemist whose claim to fame was inventing a process for clarifying resin used in soap. His invention turned the colour of soap from traditional brown to white . You can understand why that was very popular
. Brown soap against white - no contest.
We didn't know anything about the history of the estate and garden and were not issued with the usual leaflet which told the story of the garden and its owners . Neither did we get the map of the garden which usually is provided . The printer at home failed to work so we were not able to print a map out beforehand . We had to find our way around without the map. Harder than you think due to the size of the gardens . We just decided to wander up and down and see where we ended up. No doubt we would miss something but that would give the opportunity to come again as Bodnant is a garden of all four seasons .
Pochin was a successful businessman and mayor and bought the estate in 1874. He employed Edward Milner apprentice to the more famous Joseph Paxton . He redesigned the land around the existing house . The lawns were all redesigned, the valley was landscaped and there was a massive planting of American and Asian conifers along the banks of the River Hireathlyn . The development of
the garden continued under the care of Pochins daughter Laura who married into more money in the form of becoming Baroness Aberconway. She was apparently a campaigner for womens suffrage , a passionate gardener who inspired her son the 2nd Baron Aberconway to continue her work on the garden . He sent off explorers to China and the Himalayas to bring home magnolias , camellias and rhodedendrums . Spring is the time to see these plants when they are at their best . A couple of weeks ago would have been Camellia and Magnolia heaven . They had gone over but the remaining Rhodedendrums were coming into their best .
The garden was in between its Spring plantings and early summer. The Rhodedendrums were in full colour . Bright red our favourite . Pale pinks, lilac and whites . Some were taller than trees . Others were hugging the ground . The daffodils had gone over but there were underplantings of various spring flowers. The lawns showed signs of crocus which had flowered earlier in the year. Snakes Head Frittileries were underplanted and the eye was drawn under the trees just to see what was there . We wandered
down the East Garden and came out on the Front Lawn . The grass cut to perfection and the house a perfect backdrop to the garden . Paths set off in all directions inviting us to walk along them . Sometimes we walked one way and found ourselves alone . At other times we bumped into others. There was plenty of opportunity to take a different path and find another quiet part of the garden.
We found ourselves in the North Garden and along the terraces . Early bulbs were coming through but these would come into their own as summer borders full of roses, Lilies and Iris . One bed was set out as an alpine garden full of tiny iris and gentians . The blue colour of the Gentian was stunning . Steps led up to the house and down into the lower gardens. Statues crossed between a cariatid or a Spinx sat atop the wall. Water features were placed along the length of the walls. Each one different to the last .
A canal had been built along one level full of water lilies yet to flower . At one end was the Pin Mill
which was rescued from decay in 1730. It was found in Gloucestershire and was rescued from decay by Henry, who dismantled it, brought to Bodnant and rebuilt it brick by brick. The remaining gardens were set with cascades and water features , an Acer glade , Cherry trees . So much still to flower . Signs of Alliums and Paonies , Wildflower meadows that would peak in the summer .
The last owner of the house persuaded the National Trust to accept gardens on their own merit and in 1949 he handed over Bodnant Garden to the National Trust. This was the second garden accepted by the Trust . The first being Hidcote .
Great praise was given to Bodnant by Henry Nicholson husband of Vita Sackville West who commented in his diary "the Dell, is the most extensive, most varied and most tasteful piece of planting I have ever seen". He further commented "I have no doubt at all that this is the richest garden I have ever seen. Knowledge and taste are combined with enormous expenditure to render it one of the wonders of the world".
The family still live in the house . What a lucky bunch of people they are. To have a wonderful house with wonderful grounds tended to by someone else . Jealous. Of course I am .
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jackie
non-member comment
Bodnant Gradens
We were there last week and thought they were wonderful gardens. And we saw the blue gentians as well!! Reminded me of the alps and high mountain passes that we have done ..... Llandudno seems a long time ago now yet it was only last week!! My favourite garden - mmmm....very difficult to decide. Some of the French Chateaus on the Loire or maybe some of the scottish ones on the west coast....but I think my all time favourite is the Italian Garden on the Isla Bella!! Or maybe Exbury when all the azaleas are out!!