Aberglasney (Part 1) The Gardens.

      I wrote in a previous blog about an enjoyable holiday in the lovely town of Laugharne, Carmarthenshire,  Here.

 I promised then to blog about some of the gardens we visited, during our time there.

      This is one of them,

      The Aberglasney Garden. The quote below is from their website: http://www.aberglasney.org

"Spectacularly set in the beautiful Tywi valley of Carmarthenshire, Aberglasney House features one of the finest gardens in Wales. Aberglasney Gardens have been an inspiration to poets since 1477. The story of Aberglasney spans many centuries, but, the house's origins are still shrouded in obscurity.

Aberglasney Restoration Trust

While Aberglasney’s very existence was unknown to the world in general (many local people remaining unaware of it), a small band of enthusiasts of historic houses and gardens had long kept an informal watching brief on the property, noting its decline with increasing concern.

Eventually they formed the Trust, and at the eleventh hour realized their ambitions to save Aberglasney when an American benefactor donated the purchase price. This primed the pump for a gruelling series of feasibility studies and grant applications to give Aberglasney a new lease of life.

The ambitious restoration strategy has drawn on the skills of experts in many spheres. All available sources were examined to uncover Aberglasney’s history, but much remained (and still remains) unknown. Only when repairs were well underway and the stone structures made safe could major archaeology begin.

Findings in 1998-1999 proved that the Cloister garden did indeed date from the late Tudor and early Stewart era. The process of discovery continues, just as the exciting new plantings grow into place bringing new life to old spaces.

Aberglasney is changing and growing - a garden lost in time no longer, a garden of past, present and future."

The Cloister Garden looking towards the house.

 

The cloister garden is surrounded on three sides by a broad parapet walkway.

The border in front of the house was planted with a colourful blend of annuals.

Looking towards the gatehouse.

The walk way provides wonderful views from around the garden, this one is looking down onto the pool garden.

Looking across the pool to the vine covered wall, which originally supported a victorian vine house...

Now planted with colourful, dahlias...

...Canna's, calendula and Cerinthe major. 

There is a walled vegetable garden, containing this impressive Malus sargentii covered walkway,  growing vegetables, herbs and cut flowers.

The upper walled garden was designed by Penelope Hobhouse, it is a garden of concentric ovals set in an oblong walled garden.

There are several stream side woodland walks, this one with beautifully constructed bridges...

...Hydrangeas were in full flower when we visited...

...when you reach the top you can sit and relax within this oriental pergola.

I was impressed with all the different gardens at Aberglasney, the one that crowned them all for me was the sunken garden containing a pool...

...with a spherical water feature...

...the Kniphofia were in full flower...

...beautifully reflected in the pool.

A real sanctuary to sit and relax in.

The Yew Tunnel is thought to have been planted during the 18th Century, when they had grown tall enough they were bent over to form an arch.

The gardens at Aberglasney continue to develop, this year they were awarded almost £1Million from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

"Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire has received almost a million pounds from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project to create a new heritage horticulture training facility at the historic gardens.

The project aims to provide inspiration and training for a new generation of gardeners as well as students with learning difficulties and school children and is the latest in a line of restoration projects at Aberglasney.

The facility will be housed in a group of derelict farm buildings on the site, once the piggeries of Aberglasney Home Farm. As well as restoring the traditional buildings, there are also plans for a spectacular new greenhouse."  Quote from their website.

If you are have the opportunity to visit Aberglasney, please do you will not be disappointed, there is an excellent cafe and plant sales area.

Please click on any picture to create a slide show.