Visiting the garden at Plas Newydd

Couple walking in the garden at Plas Newydd with mountains in the background — Exploring the garden at Plas Newydd | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Grade I listed landscape at Plas Newydd, Anglesey, consists of 40 acres of garden and 129 acres of woodland and parkland. Here is just a small taste of what you can discover.

A garden on the shores of the Menai Strait

The mild conditions of the garden allow a wide range of plants to flourish, from rhododendrons and magnolias to rare southern hemisphere specimens in the Arboretum.

So much of what's special in the garden is in direct result of the setting and climate. Being nestled on the shores of the Menai Strait, with far reaching views out to the mountains of Snowdonia, it is most definitely a hard location to beat.

Beautiful borders

The Italianate Terraces and Sunroom Courtyard are full of colour from early spring to autumn. The stunning display of tulips in the borders in March are a sight to see, and with dahlias and salvias bringing the borders’ year to a close in October.

The Hot Border on the Terraces is a riot of reds, oranges and yellows, with the contrasting Cool Border opposite. The Sunroom Courtyard is filled with blues, pinks and whites, both from bulbs and perennials and remains attractive throughout the summer.

The West Indies

Here you'll find expansive lawns dotted with large specimen trees, beautiful magnolias, many hydrangeas, as well as Japanese maples that colour handsomely in the autumn.

Two people walking through the autumnal garden towards the house at Plas Newydd, Anglesey. — Walking through the garden at Plas Newydd, Anglesey, North Wales. | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Winter highlights at Plas Newydd

The garden in winter is when the views are at their best. The cold days, with snow on the mountains and the sun low on the Menai is a stunning combination. It’s also perhaps the best time to appreciate the marvellous collection of trees in the garden, from majestic pines to the silver trunks of beech and eucalyptus.

On Dock Road on the way to the mansion, there are the beautifully scented pink flowers of Viburnum x bodnantense, blooming as frost allows, and the delicate yet tough bright yellow blossoms of witch hazel, seemingly impervious to cold.

It’s also worth keeping a look out for migratory birds, such as fieldfare and redwing, feasting on yew and cotoneaster berries throughout the garden, as well as blackbirds tucking into the walnut-like fruits of the handkerchief tree at the far end of the West Indies.

In winter you’ll find changing colours at Plas Newydd as you walk through the garden exploring different pathways. On your frosty adventure enjoy spectacular views across the Menai Strait towards the Snowdonia mountain range and look out for some very special wildlife.

Red squirrel on feeder box in woodland at Plas Newydd House and Garden on Anglesey, Wales — Red squirrel on feeder box at Plas Newydd | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Winter flowers

On Dock Road spot winter flowering shrubs such as Hamamelis (witch hazel) blooming in pretty, yellow clusters, and the strongly scented pink flowers of the Bodnant viburnum. Meanwhile the conifers look beautiful in winter, especially the Japanese cedar with its reddish-bronze foliage below the terraces.

Wildlife in winter

Catch sight of red squirrels by visiting the squirrel hide in Church Bank Wood. Squirrels don’t hibernate and with less foliage on the trees, winter is a great time to spot these shy creatures.

Find the hidden views

Take a walk around the garden at Plas Newydd and discover a whole world of plants and trees with secluded spots to take a moment and enjoy the views across the Menai Straits to Glan Faenol woodland and admire the autumnal colours. There are two hides along the paths by the Menai Strait from which you can observe the varied birdlife, both in the woodland behind and along the shoreline.

Ask the visitor welcome team for more information of walking trails in the area. Don’t forget to bring along your binoculars.