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 
Your pictures are beautiful – definitely ‘for dreaming’. I enjoyed my virtual stroll around the garden and have added Bodnant to my list of places to visit in the future. 🙂
It’s a really nice garden. Be prepared to walk quite a lot!
Sounds wonderful! 🙂
Moony indeed. What a world in these images. To me they seem muted and whispery, much like the images for an old stereopticon. The first word that came to mind when I saw the rose was “old,” despite the throng of buds. The color seems taken from some medieval tapestry. The buds, as always, have their own secrets. Your word “presence” is apt; it isn’t just that remarkable house — it’s the whole of it. Your finale fits exactly!
The rose is the advance party with the buds forming the rear guard… although, no, your medieval tapestry is an apter image.
I say both.
p.s. Thank you for the term “mackerel sky,” which is new to me. I grew up with “buttermilk sky,” with no idea that there was any likeness between a mackerel and buttermilk!
I hadn’t heard of buttermilk sky. It does seem to be the same thing.
Gorgeous photos of a beautiful garden!
Thanks, Sheree.
Your usual splendid photography. The wisteria picture reminds me of Fragonard
I saw his picture of a lady on a swing recreated at a flower show, but had no idea who the artist was until now.
That is the picture I had in mind.
That laburnum walk is a real stunner, not to mention the azaleas. I would love to visit those gardens sometime.
I’ve never been in autumn, I don’t think, but it is interesting at any time of the year.
This surely gets a “wowsah!” What an arch. I felt moony just looking at the pictures. Also, I enjoyed seeing a picture of your sweetheart.
He was offering a helping hand.
Gorgeous place and flowers.
This comment had been trapped, but I rescued it. It is a very interesting place.
The laburnum arch is stunning but unfortunately I’ve never yet managed to get to Bodnant when it’s all in bloom. The azaleas are gorgeous – those and rhododendrons are my favourite blooms. If you’ve never been I can recommend a visit to Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens near Menai Bridge on Anglesey when the rhodies and azaleas are in bloom, so many different colours and they are gorgeous 🙂
I’ll make a note of that. The wild rhodies are in flower here, and some are huge, but they are all pretty much the same colour.
Have a look here on my camping blog at the photos I took at the Hidden Gardens a four years ago –
tigermousetales.blogspot.com/2016/06/sunday-may-29th-2016-part-1-early.html
and here’s the website if you want to take a look –
https://plascadnant.co.uk/2/en-GB/THE-HIDDEN-GARDENS
It’s a lovely place and well worth a visit (nice tea rooms too) if you’re ever down that way
A lovely post. And haven’t both laburnum and wisteria been wonderful this year?
They have.
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.