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St Giles Church (left) and Overton yew trees
They’re missing out. Since the bog was saved
from the ravages of peat cutting it’s become
famous for its snakes, lizards and newts. Not
to mention dragonflies, water voles, curlews
and skylarks. And if your eyesight is particularly
keen, you may even spot a raft spider.
www.ccw.gov.uk
www.naturalengland.org.uk
Gertrude Jekyll-inspired colour circle and a
sculpture garden. And the sculptures are for
sale, if you ask nicely.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
www.simonwingett.com
wonders of wales
gardens
Not content with the natural beauty of their
surroundings, Wrexham’s gardeners strive to
improve on paradise – often with spectacular
results.
Erddig, for example, has one of the most
important 18th century gardens in Britain
with its canal, formal allées, pleached limes
and trained fruit trees. And it contains the
national collections of ivy and narcissi.
Chirk Castle is a captivating mix of formal and
informal planting. The yew topiary, rose garden
and sweeping landscaped parkland are
softened by a rock garden and thatched
“Hawk House”. And the gardens are so lovely
in early spring that the National Trust runs special
snowdrop walks.
The Garden House at Erbistock may be on a
rather smaller scale but it packs a lot into its
five acres. Home to the national collection of
hydrangeas, it contains a lily pond in the
Monet style (complete with bridge), a
Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple,
Snowdon’s mountain without its people,
Overton yew trees, St Winefride’s Well,
Llangollen Bridge and Gresford bells.
According to the 18th century rhyme, there
are seven wonders of Wales. And Wrexham
has three of them. The steeple of St Giles, the
bells of All Saints in Gresford and the yew
trees in the churchyard of St Mary’s at
Overton.
They make for a fascinating day out. And
while you’re at it, you could take in one or two
of the others. Pistyll Rhaeadr, the tallest waterfall
in Wales, is only a few miles from the end of
the Ceiriog Valley.
Llangollen Bridge is just up the road in
Denbighshire and the shrine of St Winefride’s
Well is in neighbouring Flintshire. And on a
clear day, you should be able to catch a
glimpse of Snowdon, too.
www.wrexham.gov.uk/countryside
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