So yesterday we visited a place called Bodnant Garden. It is a stunning piece of 80 acre land situated in Northern Wales UK. It contains so many species of plants from all over the globe, some collected more than a century ago on expeditions.

There are so many different gardens being nurtured here. From terraces, to buzzing meadows, woodland to rivers and bubbling brooks.

This beautiful estate was developed by 5 generations of 1 family and then it was gifted to the national trust. It is a very popular site with over 270,000 people visiting in 2019 alone!

History

The gardens founder was an inventor called Henry Pochin, he was a chemist who made his fortune by inventing a process for clarifying rosin used in soap. Pochin bought the Bodnant estate in 1874 and employed Edward Milner, apprentice to Joseph Paxton, to redesign the land around the existing Georgian mansion house, then just lawns and pastures. It was around this time that the famous Laburnum arch was planted.

The Poem

The Poem is located in the area of the shrubbery borders. It is the family’s mausoleum. It was built by Henry Pochin as a memorial to his children, 4 of whom died in infancy.

The Plants

18th and early 19th century explorers brought plants from all over the globe and in that mix contained specimens of Rhododendron forrestii and Magnolia.

I highly recommend visiting as it has stunning grounds! It makes for a lovely day out, suitable for all the family. You can even bring your pooch.

Here are links to find out more:

• Wikipedia, Bodnant Garden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodnant_Garden
• National Trust: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden