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Post by lugg on Aug 30, 2021 20:54:19 GMT
Well I ran out of spaces in the title thread -- it is in Carmarthenshire and is properly known as Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol, at least in Welsh. Located in Llanarthney in the River Tywi valley, it spans to approx. 568 acres ie its pretty big. The garden is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical research and conservation, and features the world's largest single-span glasshouse, Disclaimer ..this report is certainly going to be more pictures than text... I visited during my family holiday to Wales with my sister, who serendipitously was also staying close by with her family, both of us loving seeing our grandchildren of course. . Anyway we had a “Grandmothers Away Day,” sneaking off from our respective families for some down time. I only later learnt that my work pal ,who I job share with, has a particular connection. Her deceased partner was instrumental in obtaining the millennium funding to re- invigorate the gardens. The garden was opened to the public for the first time on 24 May 2000. We only scratched the surface and I plan to re visit not just for that reason but because the “garden“ really is so outstanding . So much to see and do ; for many age groups. I regret not having seen the the lakes and water courses , but an added bonus is that the site is now also home to the British Birds of Prey centre and that took up quite some time during our visit , which I do not regret at all. ( More about that later) So some info to start … botanicgarden.wales/botanicgarden.wales/about-the-garden/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Botanic_Garden_of_WalesSo trusting you to glimpse at the links above I will begin knowing you have some info. If you have no time or inclination I hope that you will still enjoy this thread, Walking away from the car park and entrance – the garden immediately draws you to think about the historical links with a water park ... I hope that my photos show some of the water features built into this main walkway / entrance and a nod to the history. This part of the garden also linked in with the geological history of Wales which is fascinating in itself. live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377943481_1cde754cee_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377943246_e65c7594bc_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377943136_d76ff99918.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377177777_28fcc507c2_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378178638_d972536708_b.jpgAnyway I was blown away by the dramatic scenes that unfolded as we walked up the hill .. sometimes grey skies are the best maybe ? live.staticflickr.com/65535/51379006430_71c88a0399_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377231912_6af35b6c7e_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377232057_a02d2607c2_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377996056_58f7a9bff1_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378732674_42b7a95278_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377232737_846aaab957_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378233598_a429f49afa_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377232957_2d2ac7c002_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377231742_2bcd9e16d5_b.jpgMore to follow …
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Post by bjd on Aug 31, 2021 6:57:29 GMT
How interesting -- a Welsh Zen garden!
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 31, 2021 13:02:06 GMT
Neat rock garden!
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Post by fumobici on Aug 31, 2021 17:11:04 GMT
I love this! What a picturesque place and (as I read your links) what a history of the site. Did you go into the glasshouse?
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Post by lugg on Aug 31, 2021 17:59:15 GMT
Did you go into the glasshouse? I sure did you will probably regret asking
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Post by lugg on Aug 31, 2021 18:02:59 GMT
So a map next might be helpful ? live.staticflickr.com/65535/51415453066_40639ccfd3_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51415453031_63357b618b_b.jpgThe area I have posted above about is 19 on the map , next is No 1 The Great Glasshouse But first… I forgot to post the Aqua lab which is one of the first buildings I saw, it appears appropriately sited ; botanicgarden.wales/garden-areas/aqualab/live.staticflickr.com/65535/51412868617_b99963f1c3_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377161242_0b4be45b43_b.jpgBut back to the glasshouse. Apparently it is the world’s largest single span glasshouse and certainly it dominates the landscape in many areas of the garden. Not only that but is home to the largest collection of Mediterranean plants in the northern hemisphere. It houses some of the most endangered plants on the planet which come from six areas of the world: California, Australia, the Canary Islands, Chile, South Africa, the Mediterranean Basin. More info if you would like it… here, botanicgarden.wales/garden-areas/the-great-glasshouse/live.staticflickr.com/65535/51379005485_fcc4660266_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51414614600_7dacbf9dce_b.jpgWe entered at the western entrance and wandered aimlessly and at will, the pathways circled around upwards and downwards so that you viewed at various levels . I am going to have to cull the many photos I took for sure and apologies because they are not in any particular order region wise ; If I get time to do the research I will edit to place more correctly . live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377175472_a7fd0e7671_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377941621_256fc82653_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51414382359_3c16b2a1ca_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51413897403_f70f307a4b_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378676424_96e6d32702_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378949075_c2eed514bd_b.jpgSome cheeky sparows had decided that it was a good place to call home, live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377174162_11b305a8bd_b.jpgI believe this is Kangeroo Paw ; live.staticflickr.com/65535/51414381244_fe44909155_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378676284_f737805852_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377939386_c5db8e88ab_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378948330_45134e1e81_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377173332_5403dc0323_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378948085_5f7800655c_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378947995_b93b3dec1a_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377938851_8444b0e364_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378675374_7b899b284b_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51413895228_1039f2242c_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378730364_c7f3faaebe_b.jpgI believe this is a Dragon Tree ?? but not sure live.staticflickr.com/65535/51413626776_27b795ca61_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378947455_8b102a1206_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378947350_7e57b0402c_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377938226_cba4875700_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51413626381_c66b252f62_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377229442_c1e640c44d_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378730709_aedc112b90_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51379002840_f36ca048c2_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377227902_a01663ec5b_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378228418_e15407fb73_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378729249_17fd23a9a1_b.jpglast one from the glasshouse .. live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377227322_f02beb7c70_b.jpgSo much more to show you .
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Post by htmb on Aug 31, 2021 18:17:25 GMT
Gosh, Lugg, all your recent posts have been absolutely marvelous and deserving of much time and study! Thank you so much for sharing your travels. I’ve just had a chance to glance quickly through this one, but will go back when I have time to follow the links and give the photos a better look. What a delightful place!
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Post by lugg on Aug 31, 2021 19:23:22 GMT
A little flower interlude ; these were taken as we walked up from the garden entrance to the glasshouse past the Rock of Ages gardens live.staticflickr.com/65535/51414386024_e4ed12f6db_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378952855_7a132aefaa_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378952765_e2c1b753a5_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51413900773_642f34c83a_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377232317_81dc5be09e_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51379007005_53009ab3c9_b.jpgThe wall looked interesting – I wondered what was behind it ( more later) live.staticflickr.com/65535/51414384284_03d15a5cf5_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51414384034_ddf2e5921e_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377231582_5dae0b54eb_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377996316_346beb932e_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378231918_18060cb395_b.jpgI don’t ever remember seeing cosmos with these trumpet petals before . live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377942271_e170d8fbab_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51379004905_6f8a2bed04_b.jpg..the end of the Rock of Ages walk does not disappoint live.staticflickr.com/65535/51378678724_ff9cb6f5c8_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51379001060_49cec15707_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51379004405_87ab1497ba_b.jpgSo where to next ? live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377991766_b9fb7cbbfe_b.jpgAs we exited the glasshouse views of this house became more apparent; but we puzzled about it – yes it is very reasonably grand but was it grand enough to have been the home of the owners of this vast expanse of land, with Paxton’s tower in the distance and its historical water gardens ? live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377226647_b85fddd44f_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378227608_2cd87055ef_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377229657_497a73948d_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378176983_15d19c85aa_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377941861_366dfd9a60_b.jpgIt appears that the mansion was destroyed by a fire , which in turn led to these gardens sinking into oblivion for quite some time. The house above is Principality House . Next to the Great Glasshouse is Principality House, the only part of Sir William Paxton's mansion to survive. Though it looks like a mansion in miniature it was actually used as a combination servant's quarters, brewhouse, kitchen, and laundry. After the 1931 fire that destroyed the mansion itself this building became a farmhouse. It is now used as a conference centre. …the historic gardens might have vanished completely were it not for a chance discovery. The aunt of artist William Wilkins was walking her dog in the woods at Pont Felin Gat when she discovered the ruins of water features. She told her nephew of her discovery, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history. Wilkins lobbied for a national botanic garden incorporating the historic garden features. After years of planning and work, the gardens were opened in 2000, with the Great Glasshouse standing on the site of Cockerell's mansion house. And that was where the partner of my job share pal came in to work with a team to secure the funding to restore the gardens and to take his part in the creation of this place.More to follow ....
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 1, 2021 4:20:33 GMT
Superb in so many ways, Lugg! I would so much love to see this place in person. Because of being tied up with an ongoing project, I'm only now snatching time to look at this report. It's past bedtime, so I'll come back later & try to say something intelligent. In the meantime, thank you so much for this & I can't wait to see more.
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Post by bjd on Sept 1, 2021 6:41:13 GMT
As always with your posts, Lugg, lovely photos. After seeing the map, I was wondering whether Welsh is commonly spoken or whether there is a recent push to affirm identity?
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 1, 2021 14:34:44 GMT
The flowers are superb, particularly their wildness.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Sept 1, 2021 17:53:30 GMT
Fabulous Lugg thank you.
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Post by lugg on Sept 1, 2021 19:28:05 GMT
Thank you all for your encouraging comments Bjd . I hesitate to answer re your welsh language question in case I get my facts wrong ...but I do know that now Welsh is a mandatory subject in schools up to the age of 16 years and quite a significant amount of primary schools teach in Welsh as a first language . More info here ; www.peoplescollection.wales/content/welsh-language-todayMy experience /impressions during my visits over the years is that it is much more widely spoken in the north and west of the country but that is probably/ maybe incorrect
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Post by lugg on Sept 1, 2021 19:32:29 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Sept 2, 2021 12:10:41 GMT
Oh good! More to come. There is so much to admire and salivate over Lugg that I cannot possibly comment on just a few things. It is one terrific photo-essay! The Botanic gardens have something for everyone and that is because it must have been hours, days and months, possibly years to come up with a landscape so glorious. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful place with us.
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 3, 2021 13:50:33 GMT
First chance I've had to look at this. What an excellent report!
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Post by lagatta on Sept 3, 2021 14:04:16 GMT
This is beautiful - including the not-very-Welsh Japanese Maples, and the pizza fixings, and I'll be returning to it!
Do you speak Welsh?
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 3, 2021 15:42:53 GMT
This seems to be a particularly vast domain. How much more can there be?
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Post by lugg on Sept 4, 2021 17:38:14 GMT
Thanks all, How much more can there be? More than I am able to show Sadly not apart from using the very odd/occasional word that is pretty common here in Herefordshire eg " cwtch" and some place names locally in Welsh that have no English translation
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Post by lugg on Sept 4, 2021 17:45:33 GMT
So I was just doing a little more reading about the gardens to try to find out some more detailed info about the walled gardens themselves and came across this great source of info which I have posted the link for below , much more details about the history of the place and it also explores some of today’s dilemmas re colonialism and how we tell the story / record the history in modern times. A subject that I nearly introduced in my Bristol report but decided against. Just a few things from the article for those that don’t have the time to read …What I now know is ;that the main glasshouse stands on the site of the main house ; it was said to be one of the most beautiful and modern in Wales for its time and was designed by the best architect of the day, Samuel Pepys Cockerell (1753–1827), great-great nephew of the diarist Samuel Pepys; that Paxton’s journey appears to be one of rags to riches from cabin boy to wealthy would be parliamentarian. nation.cymru/opinion/how-the-national-botanic-garden-of-wales-has-its-roots-in-the-east-india-company/Anyway back to the walled garden that covers approx. 3 acres – The Double Walled Garden is a very unusual feature of Welsh and English gardens but is more commonly found in Scotland. The stone outer and brick interior walls create a series of different microclimates and it is thought that this extended the growing seasons. When it was built 200 years ago, the Double Walled Garden, at over three acres, could provide enough fresh fruit and vegetables for a household of 30 people, and employed 12 full- time gardeners. The two walls – one brick, one stone – provided shelter from animals and the harsher elements, and created important microclimates where tender plants could grow. This enabled Sir William Paxton’s gardeners to extend the growing season and, in an era when the transport of fresh produce was very slow, allowed Paxton to impress his guests with a harvest of unseasonably early strawberries, or fresh peaches cropped long after the main season was over. Within the walls were four primary paths, a central dipping pool to provide handy water for gardeners and a lean-to glasshouse (now a ruin) described as a ‘Peach House’ in an 1824 sales document. This was an enclosed building where, using a Roman-style under-floor heating system, peach trees and other soft fruit were grown all year round. The slip gardens between the brick and stone walls may have been used to grow a range of soft fruits and perhaps to hide unsightly objects like gardening tools and manure.live.staticflickr.com/65535/51378727859_ddd8b639a9_b.jpgI hope that you can read the info within this photo but essentially the gardens within attempt to display the evolution of flowering plants It is divided into four quadrants, each with its own distinctive pathway. Quadrants 1, 2 and 3 tell the story of the evolution of flowering plants, and is based on the latest DNA and microscopic research. From primitive water lilies at the centre of the garden to the latest cultivars by the outer walls, you can travel though 150 million years of botanic history.live.staticflickr.com/65535/51379000055_e6cdd56e1a_b.jpgand here are a few photos from within ; we barely scraped the surface , although I regret this it is ok though , more reason to return , live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377990796_15f23abdb0_b.jpgIn this photo below you can see the tropical greenhouse – more of that later .. live.staticflickr.com/65535/51378674274_46d1d6c309_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377225287_a37fe25e3c_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378946275_f446869a4e_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378937395_677c411657_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51414598500_a590cf86c1_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378664544_9244906bb4_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377224672_e452f6145e_b.jpgWe passed the Japanese Garden as we headed to our next destination… live.staticflickr.com/65535/51378726714_2271f9b80c_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378224743_dd0ec94c67_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377989396_1ddfdb27a9_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377989206_1c87b42019_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51378223898_948339b978_b.jpglive.staticflickr.com/65535/51377988841_93f139e12d_b.jpgOur next destination was the British Birds of Prey Centre . I did think about posting it separately but decided against, as for me, it shows the diversity of interests/ opportunities within the gardens. live.staticflickr.com/65535/51377223297_4b0506263a_b.jpgMore to follow.
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Post by lugg on Sept 5, 2021 18:52:51 GMT
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Post by lugg on Sept 5, 2021 19:28:49 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 6, 2021 6:42:41 GMT
Outstanding again and again. One wonders what planet you had the good fortune to visit.
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Post by tod2 on Sept 6, 2021 7:38:20 GMT
Yes indeed Lugg, this is a wonderful walk through a place that is not only extremely pleasing to the eye, but is packed with information we never knew. The Birds of Prey are so special but I had to laugh at the similarity between Midas the Golden Eagle and his handler - both got the same hair style...!
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Post by bjd on Sept 6, 2021 9:11:51 GMT
My only contribution is that the orange flower is a canna lily and I think the red one is a double hibiscus.
What are the metal things attached to the backs of the birds? A way to control them?
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Post by tod2 on Sept 6, 2021 13:46:12 GMT
bjd - May I offer my thoughts on the contraption attached to the birds. I think, only think, it is a locating device as we saw two "Falconers?" run off with a instrument similar to a mini TV aerial, into the countryside near the castle ramparts in Provins, hoping to track a bird that had taken off. I think it must have flown after a small titbit of a smaller bird.....maybe.
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Post by lugg on Sept 6, 2021 18:05:45 GMT
Thank you all The Birds of Prey are so special but I had to laugh at the similarity between Midas the Golden Eagle and his handler - both got the same hair style...! Me too My only contribution is that the orange flower is a canna lily and I think the red one is a double hibiscus. What are the metal things attached to the backs of the birds? A way to control them? Thanks Bjd for the flower ID's. As Tod said, the metal things on some of the birds backs are radio transmitters to track them if they decide to fly away... during our show we were told that one of the kites went AWOL ... I think at the 1.30 show --- decided to return at 8pm but the staff did not have to worry as they could see where he was. When he returned he sat outside the door waiting to be let back in. Midas the Golden Eagle was the subject of a documentary that also used the tracker but ...he was too scared to travel far. They hope to breed more Golden Eagles and eventually release them but there is a programme in place that needs to begin first eg it covers re-educating farmers that they do not pose huge risks to their livestock.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 6, 2021 22:18:54 GMT
Wonderful update! I wasn't expecting the birds, that eagle is magnificent.
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Post by mossie on Sept 7, 2021 11:14:02 GMT
This is all superb, particularly the birds, many thanks Lugg
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Post by lugg on Sept 7, 2021 17:57:16 GMT
Thank you both
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