The Great Gardens of Snowdonia and Anglesey Tour

Arrive independently at the Celtic Royal Hotel from 15.00. Welcome reception, dinner with wine and introductory talk ‘The Gardens of Snowdonia and Anglesey’, from your horticulturalist tour guide, Tony Russell.

Three days of remarkable gardens starts with Maenan Hall on the slopes of the Conwy Valley, which offers wonderful views of Snowdonia. Set in the grounds of a medieval manor house, amongst mature hardwoods, with sweeping lawns, ornamental ponds and a bluebell carpeted woodland dell containing copious specimen shrubs and tree, this is a gorgeous ten-acre garden created by the Aberconway family over seventy years and is awash with colour. Afternoon visit to the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden. Created over 150 years through the incredible vision of generations of the McLaren family and the Puddle head gardeners, Bodnant is a delight to the senses with its sweeping lawns, grand terraces, verdant woodland and stunning backdrop of the Carneddau mountains of Snowdonia. It boasts one of the best collections of rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias and azaleas in Britain. Dinner at the hotel.

This morning we travel through Snowdonia’s magnificent mountain and lake scenery to our first garden at Plas Brondanw, the ancestral home and Arts & Crafts garden of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. Here the splendid landscaping offers yews, an orangery and glorious mountain views. We will then have the opportunity of visiting the Glaslyn Osprey Centre, to see the very first ospreys to nest in Wales for more than 100 years. Continuing on to the picturesque harbour town of Portmadog we will have time for a leisurely lunch (not included), before a packed but enjoyable day ends at the world-famous Italianate village and gardens of Portmeirion, designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, star of many TV series including cult 1970s series “The Prisoner.” Here, Tony will take us on a guided tour of these astonishing gardens, full of tender subtropical plants. Not only the eccentric architecture, but the shrubs, hedges, abundant flowers, lakes, woodland and stunning coastal views are nothing short of spectacular. Dinner at the hotel.

For our final day of visits, we head across the Menai Strait to Anglesey and the remarkable gardens of Plas Newydd, Anglesey, the stately home of the Marquess of Anglesey, which enjoys spectacular views over the Menai Straits to the Snowdon range beyond. The grounds, thanks to the benign climate, are rich in colours throughout the year and a fitting inclusion on the last day of this superb new tour. After time for lunch (not included) our last visit is to the remarkable gardens of Plas Cadnant. Once lost beneath a sea of woody weeds and trees, Plas Cadnant has, over the last twenty years, been lovingly and cleverly restored by owner Anthony Tavernor, who will be on hand to welcome us. Return to the hotel for approximately 17.30.