Visiting the garden at Colby Woodland

Published:: 13 January 2025

The wildflower meadow in February, Colby Woodland garden, Pembrokeshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

With an industrial past and set in a tranquil secret valley, Colby Woodland Garden is full of surprises. Enjoy shady woodland walks, the wildflower meadow and colourful walled garden. Explore the meadow with its stream, stepping-stones and log bridge and build dens in the woods or take part in one of the seasonal trails. There’s lots to discover when you visit Colby.

Winter highlights

There’s plenty to see in winter at Colby Woodland Garden as the landscape transforms for the colder season. Look out for the beautiful bark of trees such as London plane and snake-bark maple, revealed as the foliage disappears. Meanwhile the colourful stems of dogwood and willow brighten up the woodland views.

The lack of leaf cover also makes it a good time of year to see lots of wildlife, especially with the earlier dusk and later dawn (many birds and animals become more active at these times). Take a walk in the woods as the sun rises or as the night falls and soak up the sights and sounds for a magical winter adventure.

The walled garden at Colby

From humble beginnings as a kitchen garden, the walled garden was semi-derelict by the 1970s. It was transformed into a formal setting by Mr and Mrs Scourfield-Lewis, who took on Colby Lodge (the on-site house) and the walled garden in the 1980s. The walled garden returned into our care in 2010.

Things to see in the walled garden

Magnolia A riot of colour in spring and summer, the magnolia tree sits above the entrance to the garden.
Trompe l'oeil painting In the gazebo you’ll find an optical illusion, known as trompe l’oeil or ‘trick of the eye’. Peter Chance (who gave us the estate) commissioned American artist Lincoln Taber to paint it.
Water feature Punctuated by plants and paths, follow the flow of water as it works its way through the garden.
Sculptures You’ll find quirky sculptures dotted all over the garden; see how many you can spot.

Pamela Chance's Memorial at Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire, which consists of seven pillars in a circle, standing amongst trees. — Pamela Chance's Memorial at Colby Woodland Garden | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

The woodland garden at Colby

The site played an active part in the Pembrokeshire coal industry during the 1790s, when landowner John Colby acquired it.

The garden only really came into its own in the 1870s when a pharmacist named Samuel Kay bought the land and house, Colby Lodge. He began the planting and his descendants continued the legacy in the 1920s by incorporating ponds and additional horticultural features.

Things to see in the woodland garden

Rhododendrons Colby’s speciality which thrive in the garden’s acidic soil; look out for the large-leaved rhododendrons by the newt pond and old oak corner.
Wildlife Binoculars at the ready, the valley is teeming with all kinds of creatures; from birds to bugs and the occasional otter.
Japanese redwood Reaching towering heights of 134 feet, Colby has one of the tallest Japanese redwood trees in the UK; you’ll find it adjacent to the newt pond.
Industrial reminders The garden is full of heritage hotspots including mine entrances and an old mine track that leads to the beach.
Sea views Follow the path through the west wood, which on a clear day boasts views across Carmarthen Bay with Worm’s Head in the distance.

An adult and children with fishing nets at the stream in the grounds of Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire. — Fishing in the stream in the grounds of Colby Woodland Garden, Pembrokeshire. | © National Trust Images/ Chris Lacey

Family fun in a natural playground at Colby

Making the most of the outdoors is easy at Colby Woodland Garden, just think of it as one big adventure playground. Clamber across stepping-stones scattered in the streams and delve into a water world of pond dipping, dam building and wildlife watching.