Bodnant Garden

The first area, adjacent to the house (Bodnant Hall), is the upper Rose Terrace. At one end of this garden is a large Arbutus andrachnoides. This plant has spectacular coloured bark with orange and grey markings. The related Arbutus unedo (Irish strawberry tree) is grown in southern parts of Australia and into Queensland, and it too has similar colourful bark, but this specimen of A. andrachnoides is far larger than any related plant seen in Australia.  

 

The Croquet Lawn overlooks the other terraces, with views for miles, although the gardens below aren’t fully revealed until you walk down to them. The Lily Terrace and Canal Terrace are more formal gardens. Between these two terraces is the Lower Rose Terrace, a series of formal rose beds, interplanted with herbs and perennials.

Below the Terraces
On the southern side of the Pin Mill is a large embankment devoted to camellias. These include many hybrid varieties which have resulted from crossing C. williamsii with C. japonica and C. saluenensis. Further down the hill there is a large group of deciduous rhododendrons. The borders just below the Canal Terrace include a range of magnolia species bordering long, straight paths. At the north end of the Magnolia Borders is a vista that extends across the Rock Garden to an old mill at the bottom of the hill.

The East Garden and Front Lawn
These areas are largely informal in layout, incorporating large garden beds; some filled with shrubs and trees, others with spectacular displays of flowering perennials. The large areas of lawn provide a series of vistas of the house.

The gardens are worth visiting at any time from Spring to Autumn, though if you can time it right, the Laburnum Arch is spectacular to see. It is one of the most famous Laburnum arches in England.

Bodnant is well known in northern Wales, and if you are visiting that area, should not be missed.

Open every day between the hours of 10am to 5pm from mid-March to the end of October. It takes at least half a day to see the gardens properly, perhaps even a full day to take in the grandeur of Bodnant Garden. Parts of the garden are steep, so access may be challenging if you are not fit.

Facilities include: Toilets, Restaurant, Snacks, Gift Shop, and a large Garden Centre.