If you should be looking for a quiet place to retreat with a good book, I suggest Manorowen Walled Garden. There is a small entrance fee but I am sure that you could find a comfortable seat and spend a delightful day hidden amongst the greenery. The surrounding walls are massively high in places, and overgrown with ivy – just like I imagined the walls in Hodgson-Burnett’s ‘Secret Garden’.
The garden originally contained a summer house, dating from the late eighteenth century, whose (treacherously unsafe) ruins are tantalisingly glimpsed at the top of a slippery climb by the entrance.
The garden itself, even in early winter, is full of interest and if you like your gardens veering to the wild, rather than the manicured, you’ll love this place.
As a bonus, there are plants on sale. I left with two little azaleas that I know will do well in my garden at home and be welcome reminders of my visit.
Tegfan, Dinas Cross 