Community gardens in Wales

A piece of paradise at Erddig’s Felin Puleston

In the vast grounds of Erddig is nestled Felin Puleston, a historic village and a hub for Erddig’s community work and the location of a peaceful wellbeing garden.

The garden was made and is managed through Erddig’s work with young people in the local community. Felin Puleston is home to Erddig Grow and the Erddig Youth Club who provide a safe, supportive and friendly space in which young people and nature can thrive. They both offer young people a range of experiences to connect with nature, from growing cut flowers, nurturing vegetables, caring for wildlife or simply taking some time to relax and refuel in beautiful surroundings.

As well as hosting our own volunteers and participants Felin Puleston, we also welcome groups from partner organisations to reap the benefits of this little piece of paradise.

The wellbeing garden is also open and free to visit by everyone throughout the year. We all have times in our life when we need to find that sense of quiet, for whatever reason. Felin Puleston gives that in spades, both literally and in spirit.

Space for the community at Tredegar House

The Laundry Garden at Tredegar House is a green community space for the nearby Duffryn estate where local organisations deliver training and people come to spend time together.

Members of Growing Space, a mental health charity, along with local and National Trust volunteers care for the accessible garden, which is used by members of Woodland Routes to Wellbeing too.

For several years, the ‘allotmenteers’ from the Duffryn community have been growing and harvesting fruit and vegetables from the allotment at Tredegar House. There’s a now also a sensory garden filled with tactile and aromatic herbs and plants in the grounds, along with a garden of tranquillity – providing a quiet area for reflection and contemplation.

An area for raised bedding ensures wheelchair users can also access the enormous benefits gardening can bring. While the gardens are primarily utilised by local community groups, they open to the public on select dates.

Community power at Powis Castle and Garden

With Ponthafren, a charity local to Welshpool and Newtown, we’ve established a community garden at Powis Castle and Garden. Based in the grounds of the castle, the garden is a vital space for people to focus on wellbeing and connect with nature.

Ponthafren is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Charity that provides a wrap-around service to promote positive mental health. The garden is a place to gather, grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers, learn new skills, and spend time in nature.

To help create the garden, Ponthafren and their service users were joined by a tutor from Tir Coed, a charity that connects people with land and woods by delivering outdoor training, learning and wellbeing programmes across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.

A number of local companies have supported the creation of the garden, from donating timber to make the raised beds that will house vegetables, herbs and other plants, to kindly gifting compost and plants. The team at Powis Castle and Garden have also provided plants to help fill the beds and planters.

By working together, our partners have helped to breathe new life into this space, and we look forward to seeing it grow from strength to strength.