Much of what's special in the gardens arises from their setting, geology and climate. The rainfall and shelter allow extraordinary plants to flourish; the Strait-side siting of the mansion - with its views to Snowdonia - provides a one-of-a-kind locale and the underlying topography lends the various gardens much of their idiosyncratic qualities.
Sheltered gardens
There are gardens next to the mansion like the Menai Courtyard, whose massive stone walls make an ideal micro-climate for tender exotics and provide a snug spot for an al fresco sandwich from the coffee shop.
To the west of the mansion is the sun room terrace, which includes a swathe of alpines and dwarf shrubs such as ceanothus, artemisia, sempervirens, sedum, dianthus and phlox - many of which grow directly from the limestone retaining wall, giving the impression of a flower-encrusted cliff.
Fiery colours
To the north of the mansion is the Italianate Terrace, where hot borders are a virtual furnace of reds and oranges, including canna, ligularia, rudbeckia and dahlia, and contrasting cool borders contain agapanthus and ceratostigma.