You could say that one of Britain’s loveliest gardens grew from a cosmetic nicety – the means to make white soap from brown. This new Victorian product was invented by one Henry Pochin (1824-1895), an industrial chemist who developed a process to clarify rosin, a brown resin that was used to make soap. He then sold the rights to white-soap-making to fund a new development: the production of alum cake from china clay, so creating a vital ingredient for the manufacture of good quality paper.
After that it was full steam ahead for Mr. Pochin, and literally too. He bought up china clay works in Cornwall and South Wales, and the Cornish Gothers works had its own tramway system on which ran a fleet of small steam locomotives, known at the time as Pochin’s Puffing Billies. And so he became a major industrialist, with further interests in iron, steel, and coal. He was also an all round pillar of the community, including serving for a time as a Liberal Member of Parliament. His wife, Agnes Pochin, was also politically active and a passionate suffragist.
In 1874, Pochin bought the Bodnant Estate in the Conwy Valley, North Wales. The estate included Bodnant House, 25 farms and 80 acres of gardens, and for the next 20 years Pochin set about acquiring specimen trees from around the world. He employed the notable landscape gardener Edward Milner, and together they re-landscaped the steep gorge below the house, planting American and Asian conifers along the banks of the River Hiraethlyn that runs through the gardens.
Some 140 years on, you can see the astonishing results – towering Douglas Firs, Giant Redwoods, Japanese Umbrella Pines. This part of the garden, known as The Dell, has over 40 champion trees, now on the UK list of notable and ancient trees.
As we wandered through the pinetum we wondered at the vision of these men – to plant trees whose full glory in that setting they would never live to see. It struck us too, that the world could well do with more of this forward, long-term planning, the creation of a living legacy for future generations.
When Pochin died, his daughter Laura McClaren inherited Bodnant, and since that time the gardens have been developed by successive generations of the McClaren family, in particular Pochin’s grandson, Henry McClaren, who created the more formal gardens and the astonishing laburnum arch. (We were too soon to see it in bloom.) It was also he, who in 1949, gave the garden to the National Trust, although it is still managed on behalf of the Trust by a member of family. And it is still growing and expanding, with new areas being planted and opened to the public this year.
This is the view from the house (still privately owned) – the Carneddau mountains of Snowdonia as a backdrop. What a setting. And what a garden. Here are a few more glimpses:
Tish Farrell 
Absolutely glorious, Tish. Thanks for sharing. It really brightens my rainy, grey morning. 🙂
janet
Aw, sorry for your gloomy day. Glad to add a bit of brightness, Janet.
Absolutely wonderful impressions from Bodnant Garden, Tish. I have saved your post. We are planning to visit this area later this year, probably late summer/early autumn. What a pity the magnolias only blossom for a couple of weeks… 🙂
Yes, too brief those magnolias. There was one tree at Bodnant that was absolutely huge, and you needed opera glasses to see the flowers they were so high up. If you’re planning a trip, the Bodnant Estate has some lovely cottages for rent. We’ve just stayed in one. Also really worth a visit if you’re in the area, is a lovely art gallery and wine bar, just south of Bodnant and Llanrwst called Ffin y Parc http://www.ffinyparc.com/ They have rooms too – and good reviews on Trip Advisor. It’s in a fantastic spot above the Conwy. In fact if we were going back, that’s probably where I’d stay.
I remember many of these views, it truly is a magnificent garden and like you we missed out on the laburnum arch! Kept saying each year we need to return to see it, but never did. Is the Pin Mill still there?
Yes, the Pin Mill is there. Lots more happening in the hillside areas. The car park was bursting when we went, but you’d not know it from the photos. People spread themselves out very nicely.
It is a big garden and well spread about. I know they have redone the rose terrace since our visit too.
How impressive the “sitting” tree!…..
Also adore all the other takes and the read …….
That tree is amazing isn’t it 🙂
What fascinating history and a magnificent place! Thank you, Tish, for telling us all about it.
You’re most welcome, Sarah.
Beautiful, Tish!
Thank you, Sue. I always think of you when I’m snapping away in gardens, just in case there’s some scenic decay to capture. But at Bodnant it was all zoom zoom.
Zoom, zoom, Tish?
Zoom zoom budding and flowering 🙂 I myself rarely zoom these days.
You and me both!!
Wow, very beautiful and lovely pictures 🙂👌
Thank you.
What a setting and what a garden indeed. And what a story too. Fancy planting trees that become what in Poland are called monuments of nature.
I like that phrase, Meg. Monuments of nature, and so many devotees at said monuments.
What a backdrop! 🙂 And a good yarn too, Tish. The energy and enterprise of some people astounds…
Yes, you’ve put your finger right on it, Jo. Lots of energy and vision.
I’ve got garden envy 🙂
There are times when one’s spirit thinks a beautiful garden is more necessary than a beautiful house. Nice to have both though.
Stunning… ditto what Pink said.
If we ever get back for a visit you an G are hired as tour guides!
That could be fun 🙂
By the way, I have been posting a few old shots of Chester on a FB site and one person who commented was a woman named Farrell.
Any relation? I seem to remember you say you had someone up there?
No, not one of ours I don’t think, Ark. My niece lives in Chester, but she’s not a Farrell.
It’s my favourite flower next to the orchid and you did it justice, but I have to say your photo of daffodils with the house in the background is just gorgeous.
Thank you, Paula.
Absolutely beautiful gardens. Thank you for sharing the history of this place.
How beautiful Tish, so nice to see your photos and get an idea of how the gardens and tree planting worked out. What a beautiful area it seems. I enjoyed your bit of history too.
Thank you. It is a fabulous garden, and so much going on in it too – renewing, and expanding.
I just love these gardens. Been to Anglesey Abbey Gardens the other day, a wonderful experience!
That’s one on our list 🙂
Would love to visit.
Okay … I’ll comment again, as it’s been a while.
Posts like this simply make me want to rush outside and start digging and planting.
Maybe if I can find a cold beer and a comfy chair I can go sit outside, watch the birds until the feeling goes away?
The comfy chair beery bird watching option sounds good to me and I’ve not had breakfast yet. I’m actually feeling a bit gardened-out. The dry spell continues as does the watering, to say nothing of the compost gathering so I can have lots and lots of mulch in case the same thing happens next year. Or just anyway. Have a good Sunday in the chair 🙂