The sun shone as our merry band gathered in the car park, admiring the nearby fine display of dahlias and other late flowering plants. The gardens were busier than expected – partly due to the good weather but also there was an orchid festival taking place over the weekend. There was a nice buzz to the place. Neil gave a brief history of the garden and told a few anecdotes before leading the group around the grounds. One member took a special interest in the onsite holiday cottages as he has just booked a week’s holiday there next year. We teased him that we will all be round for afternoon tea one day…maybe we were not joking!

As always, the gardens were looking magnificent – the rare cloistered garden is an unusual feature and it is interesting to think of its original purpose when there was a monastery on the site, predating the existing house. The woodland garden was looking very fulsome, though there was some silly tittering about Neil’s comment that some of the plants were looking a bit flaccid.

We admired the trellis style training of the fruit trees in the lower walled garden before progressing to the upper walled garden to take in the conical yews protruding amongst the perennial plants and the oval lawn. The contrast between the yellow and purple flowers were especially striking. We continued uphill, onto the raised walkway that overlooked where we had just been and seeing the impressive  gourds growing in the piggeries.  Onwards and upwards though the rose arbour and Japanese garden, admiring westward views towards Carmarthen.

The café beckoned next, where we had a very relaxed lunch on the terrace overlooking the pond, having tasty food and drinks and enjoying each other’s company. All too soon it was time to say our goodbyes, some of us popping in briefly to see the orchid displays and Ninafarium.

I would like to thank everyone who joined us to make it a most enjoyable day.  I look forward to many more days like this . Details of all our forthcoming events can be found here:  https://www.goc.org.uk/groups/gardens/

See you soon!

Neil