Clytha Park Open Gardens

Jul 27

2 min read

For the first time this year we were invited to exhibit and demonstrate at Clytha Park on the Open Gardens Day. We had a wonderful site in the kitchen garden alongside representatives from Newport Mediaval Ship, The Ruperra Trust, Friends of Bettws Newydd Church, Pontypool Local History and Newport Chartists, as well as stalls selling honey, botanicals, sharpening tools and others. There was a fantastic atmosphere the weather was warm, although a bit blustery and we used our new Gazebo for the first time.

This garden was originally laid out in about 1720 but greatly altered in 1790 in accordance with the picturesque principles then in vogue. The earlier canal was altered to form the pond, which is a surrounded by a winding grassy path.

The kitchen garden wall also dates from 1790. There are a number of notable trees: a very old tulip tree Lipiodendrum tulipifera on the far side of the lake is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. There is a good cut-leaf beech nearby. A pair of ravens have nested on the top of the tall Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens half-way down the west side of the pond.

The gravel path leads over a little bridge to the Perthyr Gate, an 18th century stone arch topped by a medieval floriated cross from Perthyr, near Monmouth. The gateway into the drive was designed by Nash in 1790, the same date as the Folly on the hill. The large cedar in front of the house is perhaps 220 years old.

We had a constant flow of vistors both young and old and some, including our local MP, Catherine Fookes, tried their hand at weaving on a Louet Table Loom. We fielded lots of questions as people examined some fleece samples and a range of spun wools from Welsh, English and European sheep.