"Wales is such a small country but we have such a variety of landscapes" said our enthusiastic Wales tour guide, Donna Goodman (she was a warden and naturalist in earlier careers). "It's not just the landscape, it's the history and culture I love. If you like history it is around every corner".
Like England 50 year's ago, Wales is rustic and wild compared to other parts of the U.K. We loved the mountains (especially Snowdonia), the language (Celtic), the food (authentic and fresh- especially the mussels at Feather's Royal Inn in Aberaeron), the people and the hospitality.
Donna Dawson of "I Can Garden" website fame takes a photo of the famous Welsh landscape fence- it is made of slate!
Part of the varied scenery: the dramatic Snowdonia mountains.
Aberglasney Gardens shared both old and new features - this one piece of the garden was new, designed by famous U.K. designer Penelope Hobhouse. Head gardener, Joseph Alkin, also showed us 400-500 year old Diamond style cobble paths and the oldest Yew tunnel anywhere (apparently the oldest verified living garden feature in the U.K.)
At the first National Botanical garden to be developed in the new Millennium, The National Botanical Garden of Wales includes the world's largest single spanned greenhouse (shown here).
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