Aberglasney a Bodnant Gerddi Cymru

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-There are over 400

-registered gardens in Wales.

-I love gardening...

-..so this is my perfect opportunity

-to visit Wales' gardens.

-My journey starts

-in the Towy Valley...

-..which is right on my own doorstep.

-During this wonderful weather, I'd

-love to spend time in my own garden.

-Luckily, there's a better garden

-down the road.

-Aberglasney Gardens

-is in the village of Llangathen...

-..to the south of Llandeilo

-in the Towy Valley, Carmarthenshire.

-It's a feast for the eyes.

-When you arrive at Aberglasney

-and spot the enormous house...

-..you know that the grounds of the

-house will be equally spectacular.

-It's the sort of place that could

-host a very swanky garden party.

-It's magical

-and has an air of fantasy.

-This is one of Wales'

-oldest gardens...

-..but it's more than just

-a wonderful setting.

-"To him, a proud hall

-"A white-washed fort

-"Circled around this

-"Nine gardens in bloom."

-It's likely that those nine gardens

-refer to the gardens of Aberglasney.

-Lewis Glyn Cothi's poetry...

-..gives us an idea

-of what was here 600 years ago.

-It was probably less colourful

-than what's here today!

-This treasure was nearly lost.

-It was home to several owners

-over the years.

-By 1977,

-the house had fallen into ruin...

-..and the garden

-was hidden in the overgrowth.

-In 1995, the estate was purchased by

-the Aberglasney Restoration Trust.

-After four years

-of extensive renovation work...

-..the gardens were opened

-to the public in 1999.

-One of the original trustees

-involved with the restoration...

-..is the garden designer,

-Helen Scutt.

-This garden looks completely

-different to 15 years ago...

-..when the renovation work started.

-This garden and the lake

-was hidden under ten feet of soil.

-Only parts of the walls

-were visible.

-Some of the walls had collapsed

-and were covered in ivy.

-The cloisters were hidden

-and the house was a ruin.

-Therefore, we were all shocked to

-find this garden beneath the growth.

-Did you intend to restore some of

-the gardens to their original state?

-No, we only intended

-to restore this garden.

-Every time a new resident

-moved in to a house of this kind...

-..they changed the house and garden.

-We found evidence

-from several centuries.

-We had to decide

-which era to replicate...

-..and we chose 1600.

-It's people who create gardens...

-..and this archway is an example

-of a recent addition.

-There's one historical figure who

-left his mark on the house and land.

-Historian, Catrin Wager specializes

-in the elite of Welsh society.

-She explained the significance

-of his contribution.

-There's a clue as we walk along

-this Bishops Walk.

-The bishop in question

-was Bishop Rudd of St Davids.

-He had a bright future ahead of him

-in the church.

-It's rumoured that he'd be

-a future Archbishop of Canterbury.

-We're walking along this path

-as he'd preach in the church nearby.

-He purchased Aberglasney after

-becoming the Bishop of St Davids.

-He'd walk along this path

-from his grand house to the church.

-What did he bring

-to the house and gardens?

-Rudd invested in this property and

-built the famous cloister garden.

-He also developed the house

-with his son.

-Their contribution proves that

-the property was close to his heart.

-This isn't just evident

-from Rudd's investment here.

-Rudd was buried

-at Llangathen Church.

-It was very unusual for a bishop

-to be buried outside his diocese.

-He's the only Bishop of St Davids

-not to be buried there.

-A new family came to Aberglasney

-in the early 19th Century.

-The Phillips family were very rich.

-Thomas Phillips

-purchased Aberglasney.

-He made his fortune as the surgeon

-for the East India Company.

-They traded in new and exotic

-fabrics, jewellery and spices.

-Thomas Phillips amassed a fortune

-with the East India Company.

-Just like today's

-colourful billionaires...

-..Thomas Phillips and his peers

-loved to spend their new wealth.

-The ultimate display of wealth was a

-grand house with incredible gardens.

-The nouveau riche

-were frowned upon in society.

-They didn't have the same status

-as those who inherited their wealth.

-Phillips didn't help the reputation

-of the nouveau riche...

-..by bringing home Mrs Moore,

-the wife of another man!

-This is where they lived,

-unmarried for nearly 20 years.

-Scandal!

-Scandal!

-

-It was a real scandal.

-A man living with another's wife

-was rare in the Welsh gentry.

-A variety of notable families

-have lived in Aberglasney.

-Aberglasney's history

-is easy to remember...

-..as its ownership changed

-at the turn of every century.

-In the 18th century, the Dyer family

-of solicitors purchased Aberglasney.

-They aren't terribly interesting

-but their son, John Dyer was a poet.

-His most famous poem,

-Grongar Hill...

-..was written about

-the hill behind us.

-It's proof of his love

-for Aberglasney.

-Every owner and every generation

-has added to the house and gardens.

-This Ninfarium

-is the latest addition.

-The National Trust

-dedicated this part of the house...

-..which had fallen into disrepair...

-..to create a glass atrium

-to grow tropical plants.

-The fans on the roof are designed

-to circulate the moist air...

-..and allow the plants

-to grow naturally.

-It's something different.

-This is what's wonderful

-about Aberglasney.

-The old and new go hand-in-hand

-to create a fantastic masterpiece.

-There is evidence that

-during the mid-18th century...

-..Aberglasney

-was part of the country set.

-We're fortunate that

-Hermione Jennings from Gelli Deg...

-..kept very detailed diaries

-of the local social life.

-She describes

-her visit to Aberglasney.

-There's mention of a rather

-uninspiring croquet party.

-They had to dance around

-old billiards tables.

-The parties ended before midnight

-which was quite unusual.

-Most parties

-ended at 4.00am or 6.00am.

-They had more fun than those guests

-in the early 20th century...

-..when the Mayhew family

-took residence.

-They were abstainers and emptied

-their wine cellar into the lake...

-..and old wine bottles

-have been found in the water.

-We're lucky the present owners

-don't feel the same.

-Cheers!

-Cheers!

-

-Cheers!

-We could have

-easily lost Aberglasney...

-..if not for those who saw the

-potential in reviving the gardens.

-The place continues

-to develop and grow.

-Hopefully, it will continue

-to grow in the future.

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-The next garden is thought to be one

-of the most beautiful in the world.

-It's a hidden gem...

-..on the banks of the River Conwy

-to the north of Llanrwst.

-When Bodnant House was built

-by Colonel Forbes in 1770...

-..there weren't many gardens.

-However, the grounds have changed.

-Bodnant Garden is adjacent

-to this house behind me.

-Whilst eating

-their morning Crispies...

-..this is the view

-that greets the owners.

-The Carneddau Mountains

-offer a dramatic backdrop...

-..to Bodnant Gardens which are set

-within 80 acres around the house.

-It's a fantastic example

-of a Victorian garden.

-The Victorian era was a remarkable

-time when anything was possible.

-Every sector

-saw innovative developments.

-People wanted to reflect this

-in their gardens.

-A display of wealth and status

-was important to the upper-class.

-They travelled to discover

-and collect new plants.

-They wanted to display

-their accomplishments.

-I'm not one for flowers

-but you can't help but admire these.

-That's exactly why they're here.

-They are to be admired

-and to confirm the status...

-..of the successful Victorian family

-who lived in this house.

-His succeess in the era's

-brand-new industry...

-..brought the industrial chemist,

-Sir Henry Pochin to Bodnant.

-Pochin is connected with two items

-that we take for granted...

-..namely white soap and paper.

-That's how he made his fortune.

-His new wealth allowed him

-to develop Bodnant Gardens.

-Size was everything.

-Anything exotic appealed to him.

-He aimed to create

-something revolutionary.

-It wasn't unusual

-for a man of his status...

-..to employ a collector

-to travel the world...

-..in search of new exotic plants

-to add to this paradise.

-There's no-one better

-to guide me around the garden...

-..than the floral designer,

-Sioned Rowlands.

-People talk about rhododendrons...

-..and either want to eradicate them

-or stop them spreading any further.

-We're sat in a forest

-of various rhododendrons.

-What makes these different

-to the creeping rhododendrons?

-They've come from

-the Himalayas and Asia.

-They employed people to

-collect seeds and bring them back.

-In the last century, they've managed

-to hybridize 250 varieties...

-..that are exclusive to Bodnant.

-Due to this success,

-they've planted them everywhere...

-..to achieve

-this feast for the eyes.

-It could look garish

-in a small garden.

-However, it's incredible

-when it's on such a large scale.

-There are varieties

-with small flowers and leaves...

-..and others are enormous trees.

-I've noticed that there are azaleas

-that look like rhododendrons.

-It's hard to differentiate between

-the rhododendrons and azaleas.

-Some have small flowers and others

-can be evergreen or deciduous...

-..but many refer to them

-as rhododendrons.

-This is a magical area

-with its flowing river and plants.

-There's a certain tranquility here.

-I'm only aware

-of two facts about Bodnant.

-It's famous for the

-rhododendrons and azaleas...

-..and the Laburnum Arch.

-It's incredible

-but it could look even better.

-You have to be lucky

-with these golden chains...

-..as they're only in bloom

-for three weeks.

-You could visit when they're

-like this and nearly in bloom.

-If you catch them at the right time,

-they're a feast for the eyes.

-There are hints of yellow to give us

-a glimpse of how it will look.

-This is one of the garden's

-oldest features.

-Pochin purchased the property

-and built the arch soon after.

-That arch has been designed

-to be fairly low.

-When walking under the arch...

-..the chains dance

-in front of your eyes.

-I quite like it when it's green.

-You can see the sun or rain clouds

-peeking through the arch.

-It must be lots of work

-to maintain a feature like this.

-In January, it took five gardeners,

-five weeks to prune the arch.

-In June,

-it takes them another two weeks.

-There are 180 feet of these plants.

-It's incredible.

-It's incredible.

-

-Wow!

-The Laburnum Arch

-is in full glory in May...

-..and brings thousands of visitors

-to marvel at Pochin's creativity.

-We're unsure if he saw

-the fruits of his labour...

-..but his design is world-famous.

-Pochin invested heavily

-in his garden.

-It's no wonder that it's here,

-in his own creation...

-..that he decided

-to build his mausoleum.

-He lived at Bodnant for a decade

-before his death in 1895.

-Since then, Bodnant has been passed

-down through the generations.

-Despite being owned

-by the National Trust...

-..Henry Pochin's enthusiasm has been

-passed on to one of his descendants.

-Michael McLaren is now

-the creative director of the garden.

-My grandfather

-wanted to educate people...

-..about gardening and horticulture.

-I'd love to show people the glory

-of gardens, plants and the outdoors.

-No garden ever stands still.

-It's not like a house which is set

-in one particular period.

-Trees die and fall down

-so there's always opportunities.

-There's always new things to be done

-and new areas to be opened up.

-In 2015, after five years

-and a labour of love...

-..the area known as the Far End

-was opened.

-The Skating Pond is the focal point

-in this wild garden.

-This is your favourite part

-of Bodnant.

-You walk through Bodnant...

-..and it's full of colour

-with different flowers and textures.

-It's very, very busy.

-You reach this area

-and are welcomed with tranquillity.

-In years to come, I suspect people

-will come here to write and draw.

-There's a quiet romance.

-But there aren't any flowers here.

-I see flowers every day

-so this is a change for me!

-It's a wonderful place.

-You can hear the birds sing...

-..and the lake is completely still.

-It's the perfect place to ponder.

-It's the perfect place to ponder.

-

-Yes, it certainly is.

-Bodnant Gardens is a place

-to contemplate and reflect...

-..and enjoy one of Wales'

-most beautiful of places.

-S4C Subtitles by Tinopolis

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