Our work in the garden at Plas Newydd

Visitors enjoying the Plas Newydd gardens | © National Trust Images / John Millar

From Italian Terraces and a rhododendron garden to the Australasian arboretum and extensive woodland, discover more about how our team of gardeners and volunteers care for this Grade I listed garden at Plas Newydd.

Camellia Dell

The Camellia Dell is located in a small, former sand quarry in the West Indies south of the mansion. First planted with camellias by the 6th Marquess in the first half of the 20th century, it was then further developed by the 7th Marquess, who added azaleas and osmanthus to the planting scheme.

Within the last 10 years, it was felt that the camellias had become too large, and they were hard pruned to regenerate them. This had the desired result: once reduced in size, they re-grew strongly, although losing a little of their former grace as a result.

We are currently in the process of gradually renovating several beds at Plas Newydd. As part of this process, we have assessed the condition of the Camellia Dell and felt that some renovation would be appropriate. Some of the camellias are in poor health, and several large cherries had also required removal in the previous year for the same reason.

When renovating an historic garden, it is vital to respect its history and spirit. However, sensitive change is sometimes needed. With this in mind, we are drawing up a new planting plan. The new design will incorporate camellias as the spine of the planting, with smaller cultivars of cherry replacing the large trees that used to grow in this bed, along with many other plants from Japan and China.

During July we will be clearing the remaining camellias. We will then improve the soil in the Autumn and plant up in the Spring of 2024. If you have any questions about this project, please get in touch at plasnewydd@nationaltrust.org.uk.