Castell Powis a Penllergare Gerddi Cymru

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-Did you know that there are

-400 registered gardens in Wales?

-They can be big, small,

-formal or wild.

-Every garden gives pleasure to the

-thousands who visit them every year.

-I'm visiting a few of our gardens

-to see the wealth on our doorstep.

-It's the golden age of the garden.

-Welcome to Gerddi Cymru.

-It's a picture postcard scene!

-A noble and regal castle...

-..on a hill above grand terraces

-and colourful gardens.

-Is there a more splendid view

-in Wales?

-Powis Castle is located

-to the north of Powys...

-..on the outskirts of Welshpool.

-The place is easy to find

-and it's certainly worth a visit.

-The castle was built 800 years ago

-by Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn.

-It was built following the death of

-Llywelyn, Our Last Leader in 1282.

-The castle has been home to

-Welsh gentry, the Lords of Powys...

-..and the Herbert family who

-developed this spectacular garden.

-Today, the garden is more of an

-attraction than the castle itself.

-Powis Castle's garden

-is world-famous...

-..thanks to its Italian terraces...

-..and yew trees, that float like

-green clouds in front of the castle.

-Powis Garden

-wouldn't look out of place...

-..in Alice in Wonderland

-or the Mabinogion.

-The floral designer, Sioned Rowlands

-is enchanted by this garden.

-As we look up at the castle whilst

-walking along the various levels...

-..we start with something

-rather plain until we arrive here.

-This is an incredible area.

-It's the grandest part

-of the garden.

-The bushes are a backdrop

-to these colours.

-It's a very opulent area.

-When were these levels created?

-The architect, William Winde

-designed this in the 17th century.

-It's a Baroque-style

-and very grand.

-This is where they would socialize

-and walk along the terraces.

-There are 180 metres of terraces

-and four different levels.

-It's a wonderful place,

-especially with this orangery.

-This is formal on a massive scale.

-Yes, and look at the view from here.

-It's wonderful to think

-that the garden was designed...

-..to give the Welsh gentry

-a beautiful setting to socialize.

-A garden looks splendid

-in the sunshine...

-THUNDER

-..but if it does rain, you can view

-the garden from the Long Gallery.

-Whilst here, you can also admire

-the coats of arms, paintings...

-..and items that brought prestige

-to the family...

-..such as the bust

-of the Roman Emperor, Caligula.

-Today, visitors enter through

-the castle's grand gates...

-..but this wasn't always the case.

-If Roman Emperors had visited

-during the 18th century...

-..which is highly unlikely...

-..they would pass through the gates

-leading to these steps.

-It led them through

-the beautiful classic parkland...

-..before reaching the top

-where they could admire the view.

-This is an enormous

-and diverse garden.

-It isn't entirely formal.

-Most visitors to Powis Castle

-stick to the terraces...

-..the castle and beautiful flowers

-on the other side of the valley.

-But there's also a wild garden,

-aptly named the Wilderness.

-There are acres of trees,

-room for the deer to graze...

-..and a lake that's perfect

-for breeding ducks.

-There are some strange things

-to be found in the Wilderness.

-In the 18th century,

-after any form of exercise...

-..as if walking from the castle

-to here wasn't enough...

-..they bathed in a cold pool.

-This is the Plunge Pool.

-I wouldn't dip my toenail in today!

-This isn't the only

-unusual attraction.

-I don't know who owned this foot

-and where he's gone...

-..but he's certainly overdone it

-with the pedicure!

-The Ice House was designed

-to store ice from the lake...

-..at a time

-when freezers didn't exist.

-The Wilderness is wonderful...

-..and the perfect contrast

-to the castle's grounds...

-..but it was far more formal

-in the past.

-If we had stood here

-at the turn of the 18th century...

-..our feet would be wet

-as there was a classical pond.

-However, it was all demolished

-by a hooligan!

-His name was William Eames.

-He decided to get rid

-of the water garden, lay a lawn...

-..and planted the surrounding trees.

-He wanted a contrast between

-the level grass and the Wilderness.

-Is the main purpose of the lawn

-to showcase its surroundings?

-Yes, that's what I believe.

-Capability Brown did the same

-in England and Wales...

-..and William Eames

-shared the same vision.

-He saw a level plain as a background

-for its busy surroundings.

-A garden is never self-sufficient.

-Over the years, a team of gardeners

-has cared for the garden.

-The head gardener, David Swanton

-is now responsible for its upkeep.

-Hello, David.

-Hello, David.

-

-Good morning, Aled.

-These days, David leads a team

-of gardeners and volunteers.

-One of their main tasks

-is to care for the yew trees.

-These fellas started out life

-in the 17th century.

-The garden terraces were 1680s

-and yews were planted as topiaries.

-In the Landscape Movement,

-they were left to grow into trees...

-..and Naturalistic Parks.

-The Victorians pruned them and

-that's why we get the lovely shapes.

-Can I have a crack at it?

-With hedgerows

-which are centuries old...

-..David had faith in my ability

-to let me loose with the trimmer.

-Watch out, I'll have sculpted

-a cockerel before tonight!

-It looks as if I'm walking inside

-a box made from hedgerows...

-..but I can peek through these

-windows to see the smaller gardens.

-These are feminine gardens in terms

-of the planting and pastel colours.

-There's a very different feel

-to the formality of the terraces.

-They're romantic, full of shrubs,

-apple trees and wonderful flowers.

-When were these gardens developed?

-Lady Violet lived here

-at the turn of the 20th century.

-She looked out from the castle

-at an old kitchen garden...

-..and thought it was ugly,

-so she demolished the glasshouses.

-She transformed the area

-into a truly beautiful garden...

-..with stone walls and yew trees.

-These flowers aren't edible.

-Where are the potatoes,

-runner beans and carrots?

-A pretty garden is more important!

-What are the flowers

-that surround us?

-There's all sorts like delphiniums,

-campanula and marguerite.

-She obviously considered the colours

-before they were planted.

-They look splendid.

-The garden also looks wonderful

-from the castle.

-It looks very different

-to when she first came here.

-It was unusual for women

-to transform gardens.

-She took the reins

-and changed the garden herself.

-Her aim was to create the most

-beautiful garden in Britain.

-Do you think she succeeded?

-It was a wonderful ambition to have.

-She spent 18 years

-creating this garden...

-..and it is a lovely garden.

-Powis Castle offers something

-different to other Welsh gardens.

-There are roots.

-The garden has grown through the

-centuries and it continues to do so.

-It's a garden for the future...

-..with strong

-and formal foundations...

-..that is constantly

-being updated and developed.

-It will be enjoyed

-for years to come.

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-This is one of Wales' hidden gems.

-There are 250 acres of gardens,

-set in a hidden valley...

-..between two of South Wales'

-busiest roads.

-Each year, thousands,

-if not millions pass this garden...

-..without knowing of its existence.

-The garden's greenery

-and tranquillity...

-..gives the impression

-of being in the countryside.

-But I'm not in the countryside!

-A garden is defined as

-a piece of land adjoining a house...

-..used for growing vegetables,

-fruit or flowers.

-But I can only see

-daffodils and tulips.

-That's what makes Penllergare

-Valley Woods so different.

-The garden is situated to the north

-of Swansea City Centre...

-..just off Junction 47 of the M4.

-There was once the grand home

-of the Dillwyn Llewelyn family.

-The family had inherited a fortune.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn was a

-key figure during the Victorian era.

-His substantial wealth enabled him

-to pursue his interests...

-..and experiment in creative

-and technical fields.

-Unsurprisingly,

-he was also interested in botany.

-He developed the Penllergare

-Valley Woods on this piece of land.

-However, it's an innovative, wild

-garden as opposed to a natural one.

-At the time, others focused

-on the picturesque and formal.

-The garden

-feels like a country park.

-There's a myriad of pathways.

-There are streams and rivers...

-..waterfalls and lakes.

-It's a space

-in which to lose yourself.

-It's difficult to believe

-that everything in sight...

-..every branch, leaf

-and blade of grass...

-..and natural feature

-like the one I'm sitting on...

-..were carefully positioned

-by John Dillwyn Llewelyn...

-..some 160 years ago

-in the 19th century.

-The garden differed

-to others of the same era...

-..and had a few surprises.

-Amidst the native trees, there

-are all sorts of exotic plants.

-I feel like Tarzan!

-There's only bamboo

-in this part of the garden.

-There are forests of it!

-It's claimed that bamboo

-from this garden...

-..fed the pandas at London Zoo

-during the Victorian era.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn was more

-than just a pioneer in botany.

-It was John Dillwyn Llewelyn's

-interest in photography...

-..that first brought him

-to the world's attention.

-He was one of the first

-to photograph the moon.

-He did so from his

-personal observatory in the garden.

-He was also the first to develop

-the Oxymel technique...

-..that allowed him

-to capture photographs outdoors...

-..when his peers were confined

-to studio techniques and traditions.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn was one

-of the first to photograph nature.

-He also captured

-everyday life in his home.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn's photographs

-can be found at Swansea Museum.

-It's an important collection

-in British photographic history.

-Geraint Cunnick

-is an expert on the collection.

-He's a senior lecturer

-at the University of South Wales.

-We have a complete collection

-of his life's work.

-The garden is a constant theme

-in every photograph.

-There are photographs of the garden

-taken as landscape images...

-..and as a backdrop

-for Dillwyn Llewelyn's family life.

-These are the first images of people

-playing in the snow...

-..and using the garden as a

-recreational space for the family.

-These images look natural compared

-to some straight-faced portraits.

-This photograph looks like he's

-captured them playing by chance.

-However, John Dillwyn Llewelyn

-didn't achieve this by accident.

-His work was framed

-like an oil painting.

-This is a good example which shows

-how the garden has been framed.

-The lines of the garden

-run through the photograph...

-..and draw the eye into the image.

-It's a characteristic

-of the era's romantic photographs.

-This is the man himself.

-It's a self-portrait

-taken between 1853 and 1855.

-It shows exactly what he does...

-..and showcases his profession

-and his equipment.

-He was a key figure

-in photographic history.

-A convenient side-effect

-of developing this land...

-..was having a beautiful location

-to take photographs.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn was more

-than a photographer and gardener.

-During a time of experimenting,

-research and development...

-..he was in a position

-to utilize his wealth and garden.

-A scientist who's used to John

-Dillwyn Llewelyn's techniques...

-..is Professor Iwan Morus

-of Aberystwyth University.

-Dillwyn Llewelyn was a photographer

-and had an interest in gardens.

-However, he was also

-interested in science.

-In 1848, the British Association

-for the Advancement of Science...

-..came to Swansea in Wales...

-..to see John Dillwyn Llewelyn's

-electric boat.

-It was a famous event

-that took place on this lake.

-His electric engine had been

-designed by a local engineer.

-It used the batteries of his friend,

-William Robert Grove.

-He proved how it was possible

-to use an electric engine...

-..to power a boat without any steam.

-Steam was dangerous and volatile.

-He showed them

-what was possible for the future.

-Despite his success

-and innovation...

-..the Penllergare Estate

-didn't have a prosperous future.

-It was a stunning garden and one of

-the most beautiful in the country.

-Unfortunately, his heir died

-at a very young age.

-The estate was neglected

-and almost erased from history.

-By 1927, the family had moved away

-and the house fell to rack and ruin.

-Trees and brambles

-thrived in the valley...

-..and the lakes filled with mud.

-The estate was split in two

-when the M4 was built...

-..and John Dillwyn Llewelyn's

-paradise lay forgotten.

-Ten years ago, all this changed.

-The Penllergare Valley Woods Trust

-was established.

-With the help of the Lottery Fund

-and the hard work of volunteers...

-..this treasure was unveiled.

-Dr Don Williams has been involved

-with the restoration.

-It's important to remember

-how the garden looked 15 years ago.

-It was completely wild.

-Initially, the volunteers

-had to open up the garden....

-..to see what they faced.

-They cleared paths, roads

-and burned lots of old trees.

-There's been a true transformation

-at Penllergare.

-Llewelyn's Bridge was rebuilt.

-The lake was cleared and the water

-is used in a hydro-electric project.

-The iconic waterfall in Dillwyn

-Llewelyn's photographs was restored.

-The walls and original stone steps

-have been uncovered and restored.

-The observatory is being rebuilt.

-There's also a new cafe and shop...

-..to welcome visitors.

-Are you working towards

-a completion date?

-It's impossible

-to predict a completion date.

-It's miraculous that we've achieved

-so much already.

-We hope to restore the garden

-to its former glory.

-I won't keep you from working

-with your bucket and spade, Don!

-It's great that Penllergare Valley

-Woods has a new lease of life.

-John Dillwyn Llewelyn

-would be proud to call it his own.

-It's a paradise

-for photographers of the future.

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