If I was asked to name my favourite garden other my own, I would struggle to name just one favourite; but I could be pushed to a top ten; maybe even a top five. If I did name my top five Plas Brondanw would be firmly placed within it. My love of Portmeirion is well known and this garden created by Sir Clough Williams Ellis at his family home is for me a very special place.
I have visited this garden for many years. I have seen it go through changes yet in essence it has stayed the same. I worry that one year I will go and not enjoy it, that I will know it too well and that familiarity will lead to me losing the love.
Yet I love the familiar, the fountains that make me smile in recognition;
I look at the flash of red tropaeolum speciosum, and remember that this is the first garden where I saw it growing many years ago, right there in the yew hedging. I have tried over the years to grow this plant, to no avail. Maybe it is time I tried again.
We were talking as we walked through the garden and realised we had not noticed this area before; well if we had we couldn't remember it.
The garden was sparkling as it had been raining most of the morning and the sun came out just in time for our visit.
It was positively gleaming.
I rarely visit this time of year and it was good to see so much colour in the borders.
This is a garden of open spaces and enclosed rooms,
there are vistas drawing the eye, leading you to go through gates and look at what lies beyond,
and the topiary, oh the topiary. It was looking crisp and perfect on the day we visited.
and we found the sandpit. Now as I have said, I have visited this garden many times, many many times, yet I have not noticed the sandpit before and it was not hidden away.
We were joined on our visit by this very tame robin, who did not fly away as we took our photos.
It was a good visit and any worries about not still loving this garden have been laid to rest, until next year at least.
