Castles to keep attracting gardeners

Gardens across north Wales will throw open their gates to thousands of visitors during the third annual Festival of Gardens North Wales.

The drive to bring the growing garden army to the region is being mounted by North Wales Tourism with the event getting underway on June 2.

As well as Chirk and Powis Castles, must see destinations will also include Erddig Hall in Wrexham, the Dingle Garden near Welshpool and others further afield.

Bodrhyddan Hall, in Rhuddlan, home of Lord Owain Langford, is for the first time gearing up to host the launch of the 16-day spectacle. It has been the seat of the Langford family for 500 years, though its design has been significantly changed and extended over the centuries.

There is also a Woodland Walk which was reclaimed in the early 2000s and the grounds are home to dozens of species of birds, amphibians and mammals.

Bodrhyddan Hall will be open on the launch day, June 2, from 2pm to 6pm with house and garden tours, and afternoon tea is included in the ticket price. A plant fair will also be held at the hall on June 10 from 10am to 2pm.

Since it began in 2016 interest has flourished in the annual festival beyond all expectations and it has grown to become a vital addition to the tourism industry helping shore up the North Wales economy.

North Wales Tourism Chairman Claire Britton said the impact of the festival could not be underestimated.

“After just two years it has already proved its worth as way of encouraging visitors to our region, and support is getting stronger all the time," she said.

Festival organisers are hoping for an even bigger turnout than ever this year for all events, with visitors spurred on by a packed programme of guided tours of magnificent garden-scapes, an array of plant fairs, wildlife trails, cream teas, and fun quizzes.

A big hit is bound to be Gardener’s Question Time event, hosted by Tony Russell, at Glasdir, Llanwrst, on June 14.

Also expected to pull in the crowds is horticulture-themed one man show Old Herbaceous, starring actor Giles Shenton as Herbert Pinnegar, staged in a marquee at Caerau Gardens, near Bala, on June 9.

Nurseries, stately homes, private gardens, tourist attractions and garden centres are all poised to offer a combined line up of more than 100 events across the region.

Support has also been gleaned from organisations including the National Trust, the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway and a trio of local choirs who will all be joining in with extra special activities.

Following on from its bumper success in 2017 there will again be a Friends of the Festival Discount Card available which is expected to boost visitor numbers even further. Costing £5 the card will include offers such as free tea/coffee and discounted admission to key events.

For costs and timings of all festival events, information on gardens taking part, or to download a programme, visit the Festival of Gardens North Wales website at: https://gardensnorthwales.com