Gardd Colby a Castell Penrhyn 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.

-This is my first visit

-to this garden.

-I've always tried

-to avoid the turning...

-..on my way to the beaches of Tenby

-and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire.

-However,

-this is a beautiful garden...

-..which literally

-has more layers than you think!

-Colby Woodland Garden

-is situated in Pembrokeshire...

-..on the outskirts of Amroth.

-The garden is a wooded valley

-that extends down to the sea.

-The house was built

-in the early 19th century...

-..and the gardens were erected

-around the house later that century.

-Colby offers three things.

-A walled garden

-positioned near the house...

-..to grow fruit and vegetables.

-A striking forest,

-which is a perfect habitat...

-..for a mixture of innate

-and imported trees.

-There's also a meadow

-filled with wild flowers...

-..pretty ponds and streams.

-It's hard to believe that within

-the boundaries of this garden...

-..that there's room for

-a whole valley to grow wild.

-Everything that you see here

-has been purposely planted...

-..to give the impression

-that the area is wild.

-This isn't a simple thing

-to accomplish.

-The floral designer,

-Sioned Rowlands joins me...

-..to tell me more about

-the gardens history.

-What was the original purpose

-of a garden like this?

-They say that a garden...

-..with such a tall wall

-surrounding it...

-..was built to protect the flowers

-from the weather and animals.

-However, there's another reason.

-At the time

-that these walls were built...

-..the fruit, vegetables and herbs

-grown in the garden were valuable.

-These protected them from thieves.

-These garden walls differ

-to others that we've seen...

-..as they don't have

-a regimental pattern.

-This is what I love about it.

-We usually see formal borders

-on the edges of these walls...

-..with formal spaces.

-However, this is very informal.

-The middle area with

-a small orchard is wild.

-They allowed the plants

-to grow around it.

-The flowers and grass

-are informal...

-..compared to other

-conventional walled gardens.

-It's higgledy-piggledy

-and I like it.

-Speaking of grass...

-..there's a whole valley of grass

-and wild flowers in the meadow.

-There are so many innate

-flowers and grass.

-You want to touch them

-as you walk through.

-The owners of the garden

-are eager to attract families...

-..to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

-It's wonderful to see people

-taking advantage of this area.

-We've left the walled garden

-and the meadow...

-..and have made our way

-to the forest.

-I can recognize twelve different

-types of tree in front of me.

-Some of which are innate trees.

-Yes, it's great.

-There are 18 acres of garden here...

-..and eight of those are forestry.

-There's a fantastic variety.

-Was it easy to collect plants

-from around the world...

-..bring them back and expect them

-to flourish in this bad soil?

-You'd think it would be difficult

-as many are from warmer climates.

-I'm sure many failed...

-..but it's 100 years later

-and the area is flourishing.

-It helps that the sun is shining

-on us today...

-..and the colours and

-textures of the leaves can be seen.

-The trees at Colby

-are all shapes and sizes...

-..and extend

-like a green carpet...

-..all the way down the valley

-towards Amroth beach.

-But why am I standing

-next to this large rock?

-The colour might be a clue!

-Over 200 years ago,

-only coal could be found here.

-There were no flowers or trees,

-only coal.

-This was a different place

-at the end of the 18th century.

-Yes, Pembrokeshire once had

-a successful coal industry.

-There were coal mines

-across the county.

-Hundreds of miners followed

-these paths on a daily basis.

-The historian, Catrin Wager adores

-the history revealed by the garden.

-Today, it's difficult to imagine

-an industry on these grounds.

-It's unbelievable that this was

-once a coal mine as it's so natural.

-The gardens name derives from the

-previous landowner, John Colby.

-How did they transport the coal

-before the railway was established?

-The coal industry

-was here before the railway.

-The location was convenient

-as it's close to the sea.

-Coal was transported from Amroth

-to the largest ports in the world.

-How long did the industry last here?

-It didn't last for very long,

-only about 60 years.

-The site was sold in 1855.

-Ampharosite coal was found here.

-This is good coal

-which doesn't contain any smoke.

-Queen Victoria specifically

-asked for the Colby ampharosite...

-..to use on her steam boat.

-There are many stories

-connected to the industry.

-The inspection from 1840 gives us

-a great insight to this area.

-The tale of the seven-year-old boy

-sticks in my mind.

-He worked underground

-for three years...

-..and in the beginning,

-he couldn't keep his eyes open.

-But after receiving his pipe and

-tobacco, he could work a full shift.

-It's sad to think

-of a seven-year-old boy smoking...

-..and also smoking underground in a

-coal mine where gas could be found.

-There's no wonder that one of these

-mines was called Bedlam Pit...

-..due to all the accidents

-that took place.

-These days, only a mound

-of grass remains at Bedlam Pit...

-..to note the interesting history

-of Colby Woodland Garden.

-At the end of the 19th century,

-the area developed as a garden.

-These days, nature has conquered

-the industrial landscape...

-..and the gardens are now a paradise

-for wildlife.

-If you look up

-to the top of the tree...

-..you'll see a kite's nest.

-There are a number of

-ponds around the gardens...

-..and lizards are thought

-to breed in this one.

-Colby is a feast for the senses...

-..for those interested in wildlife,

-horticulture or history.

-There's something in this

-garden for everyone.

-You could come here and not do any

-of those things and just relax.

-It's nice to do nothing sometimes.

-Don't tell anyone!

-It's been a hard day!

-Colby is a hidden treasure that

-offers a plethora of activities...

-..along one of the

-best Welsh coastlines.

-Who thought that such a beautiful

-location existed between the trees?

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-There's nothing shy

-about this building.

-I don't think I've ever stood in

-front of a more menacing building.

-This is a home...

-..but not the type where you could

-cuddle up in your onesie!

-This is a Neo-Norman Castle, which

-doesn't date back to that period...

-..and is quite young

-in castle terms.

-Penrhyn Castle stands

-on the outskirts of Bangor, Gwynedd.

-It's situated between Snowdonia

-and the Menai Straits.

-Castles have been located on this

-site since the 7th century...

-..but the one we see today

-was built a mere 200 years ago.

-This large ostentatious castle

-was built to attract attention.

-We know that the individual

-who built this castle...

-..had more money than sense!

-This was the home of Lord Penrhyn

-and the Pennant family.

-The family made their fortune

-from many different industries.

-Everything that you see

-has been specifically built...

-..to give the impression of

-nobility, wealth and pageantry.

-Every inch is covered

-with some sort of decoration.

-How much money did

-this family have?

-There's uncertainty surrounding

-the number of rooms in the castle.

-There are at least 200 rooms,

-which means they had a lot of money!

-The family had to have the best of

-everything and money was no object.

-This is visible when viewing

-the elegance of each room.

-Having seen the castle...

-..you would imagine that the

-gardens are grey, bare and formal.

-This is where Penrhyn differs and

-you might be pleasantly surprised.

-Penrhyn garden is hidden behind

-a wall of stone and trees.

-It's a small,

-neat and pretty garden.

-The garden is a huge contrast

-to the dark castle.

-Catrin Wager specializes

-in the history of Penrhyn Castle.

-She joined me to discuss

-the dubious history of the family...

-..and the social importance

-of the garden.

-We know many people visited the

-family and stayed in the castle.

-Was the garden a part of the tour?

-Yes, it's part of the experience

-of coming here.

-Everything had to be the best.

-They would take visitors

-around the luxurious stables...

-..and down to these

-formal gardens...

-..to show their nobility and wealth.

-Many events were held here,

-including garden parties...

-..which would help to

-raise funds for charities.

-When Bangor needed a hospital,

-they invited nobility...

-..and charged them for

-afternoon tea and entertainment.

-The garden was important

-for socializing.

-This garden continues

-to attract visitors.

-Queen Victoria also visited the

-garden during the 19th century.

-She planted this Wellingtonia tree

-in 1859 as a reminder of her visit.

-The floral designer, Sioned Rowlands

-joined me on a tour of the garden...

-..to tell me more about the plants

-found in this garden.

-What is the importance

-of this garden to gardeners?

-It's not everyone that can say they

-had Walter Speed as their gardener.

-At that time, he was one

-of the best gardeners in Britain.

-The Pennant family would have

-to have one of the best gardeners...

-..as a sign

-of their nobility and wealth.

-He was extremely

-enthusiastic about his work...

-..and he wanted to teach

-the younger generation.

-He had over 30 gardeners

-to help him.

-Walter spent his time teaching

-them a variety of things.

-They preferred to come here

-for training...

-..rather than Kew Gardens

-or Windsor Castle.

-This is a traditional garden which

-is typical of the Victorian Era.

-Everything is in

-a symmetrical shape...

-..and the peonies trees

-are equal on both sides.

-Lavender can be found

-in a circular shape...

-..and there's also ponds

-and hidden areas.

-You could read a book or relax...

-..among the wisteria and clematis.

-There's nothing fashionable

-about this cup of tea...

-..and some might say

-neither is the man holding it!

-Let's take a trip back

-to the 18th century.

-I'd be considered

-a very innovative person...

-..to be sat here with

-my sugary cup of tea in the garden.

-Sugar is responsible

-for the Pennant family wealth.

-The history of that wealth is rooted

-far from Wales in the Caribbean.

-Originally from Flintshire...

-..the Pennant family

-made their money in Jamaica.

-During the 17th century,

-they relocated to Jamaica...

-..and invested in sugar plantations.

-The popularity of sugar increased

-and they made a lot of money.

-However, they made their money

-by using slaves.

-They made a substantial profit.

-The money flowed into their accounts

-at the expense of the slaves.

-In time, the profit paid

-for Penrhyn Castle and gardens.

-The gardens are full of exotic

-plants from around the world.

-Most of the exotic plants

-are at the bottom of the garden.

-This is the Bog Garden.

-Yes, isn't it great?

-What are these Victorian plants?

-Yes, the gynura.

-It's currently May, but in August

-these plants will be splendorous.

-They can grow to

-be two metres tall...

-..and three metres thick.

-They'll look like forestry!

-These need moisture.

-Yes, the roots need to be in water

-and the leaves are incredible.

-The acer trees are fantastic

-and are very large and old.

-Are these the plants

-that Speed would have grown?

-We can see the bamboo and iris.

-Yes, these type of plants

-would have grown here.

-They would have experimented

-with growing these plants.

-Bamboo would have been

-brought over and planted here.

-Gynuras also flourish here.

-They would have brought seeds

-from their estates in Jamaica...

-..in order to grow them here.

-It's thought that melons

-grew well here.

-They were able to grow melon

-in their Welsh garden...

-..and serve it to guests

-at the dinner table.

-This was a great sign

-of their wealth.

-No other family could grow melons

-in their North Wales gardens.

-Melons don't have a lot of taste.

-After making a fortune

-in the Caribbean...

-..the Pennants turned their

-attention to home and to slate.

-They invested in the

-development of agriculture...

-..and they established

-the Penrhyn Slate Quarry.

-It was one of the largest quarries

-in the world by the 19th century.

-The quarry employed

-3,000 local people...

-..and they successfully exported

-slate across the world.

-The relationship between employer

-and workers wasn't a happy one.

-In 1900, the rocky relationship lead

-to the Penrhyn Quarry Great Strike.

-They were completely different.

-Whilst one lived

-in a house with 310 rooms...

-..the quarryman lived

-in a two-up two-down cottage.

-The Pennants were conservatives

-and the local workers were liberal.

-It's these tensions, along

-with poor working conditions...

-..and the demand

-for a union for the workers...

-..which lead to the

-Penrhyn Quarry Great Strike.

-It's one of the largest industrial

-strikes Britain had ever seen.

-Today, the remnants of the quarry

-remains like a scar on the land.

-However, the social scars

-were much deeper.

-Penrhyn Castle has been a symbol

-of oppression for many...

-..but these days, visitors

-come to admire its treasures.

-The fantastic garden is one treasure

-that is enjoyed more than any other.

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