I’m sharing pictures from our trip to Bodnant Gardens in the Conwy Valley, Wales about this time last year. Closed at the moment, it’s a natural addition to my Pictures for Dreaming series.
The earliest roses start to bloom in May. A few weeks further on in the season, this becomes one of the loveliest rose gardens in Britain.
Regular readers will know of my love of stone… and embellishment.
The Laburnum arch is a must-see during the short time it’s in flower. Although the garden never feels crowded, it takes a good deal of patience to get a view of the walk without people.
Wisteria, strangely, is less of a draw.
Bodnant house is not open to visitors, but it casts a presence over the garden.
But it’s the collection of plants that draws me back and their placement. Wildflowers that might almost seem weeds in their native areas are given the respect their beauty should command.
That’s it for today’s virtual stroll. As I’m feeling a bit moony putting these together, I’ll end with my sweetheart:
Susan Rushton 
So incredibly beautiful! I was in Conwy May 30th of 2016 and I can’t believe I missed these gardens. The wisteria on the stone walls is spectacular. Thank you for giving me something to dream about…
Next time, perhaps!
A lovely portrait of a lovely garden. I have only been once and it was too late for the laburnum walk, but perfect for the rose garden 🙂
The roses seem to be a lot earlier this year, but perhaps a week of cooler temperatures will hold them back.
What a marvellous place to visit. The Laburnum Walk is stunning and your opening shot beautiful. But of them all, your close-up photograph of the old rose is the one I love the best. There is so much depth, texture and richness of colour in that photograph – it’s an incredibly beautiful shot.
I’m glad you liked that one. There’s a whole bouquet of buds behind the flower!
Laburnum in full bloom is a sight to see – a full walkway of them must be amazing!
It’s even longer than it looks here.
WOW … wonderful captures and what a place!
Bodnant is always a treat.
Laburnum was a very brief fad after being displayed as this at the Seattle Flower and Garden Show in about 1995 or 6. We brought some in (that we did not grow ourselves), and were then stuck with many when the fad abruptly ran out. Laburnum do not do so well here. Really, people should not copy (totally) anyway.
Someone planted a laburnum in our school playground that has outlasted the school. I always thought it was a funny choice as they are poisonous.
It seems like an odd choice for back then, when horticulturists knew what they were doing. Nowadays, such mistakes are common.
Magical! I love the Laburnum Walk.
I’ve made it seem hobbit sized but it’s taller than it looks.