Visiting the Garden at Llanerchaeron

View through a door into the walled garden at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion — A view into the walled garden at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion | © NTI/Paul Harris

Laid out by John Nash in the late 18th century the Llanerchaeron estate includes a Walled Garden and Pleasure Grounds that were enjoyed by multiple generations of the Lewis family.

From the Villa enjoy a tranquil walk beneath the beech and fir canopy through the pleasure grounds to the lake, nestled amongst rhododendron, with pastoral views across the wider estate.

The Walled Garden, originally a high-tech hive of Georgian industry has a much more romantic and dreamier feel today. There is still a wide range of produce grown – some of which you can buy to take home.

The Walled Garden

Within the walls you will find a productive kitchen garden, ancient fruit trees, remnants of horticultural technology spanning the lifetime of the garden, herbaceous borders and a wonderful herb garden.

The south facing walls were once heated by fire pits and evidence of these remains as well as two beds heated by hypocausts (hot air circulated in a cavity beneath the floor) which were used for fruit production. In the frame yard you will find a similar fire pit which was used to heat the cold frames to a raise young plants for the garden.

Winter in the garden

With the cold weather and shorter days of winter Llanerchaeron morphs once again. Leaves shed, vegetable beds emptied & mulched, and herbaceous borders cut to the ground.

From this the skeleton of the garden emerges; the architecture of the orchard trees; the Georgian brick walls prominent and bringing forth features such as the dipping ponds and lightly decaying glasshouses.

Elsewhere the lake in the Pleasure Grounds provides a refreshing winter walk, especially on crisp and frosty days with its surface reflections and vistas out into the wider estate.

Winter in walled garden at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion — Winter in the walled garden at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion | © NTI/Paul Harris

Victorian greenhouse

Along the south facing wall is a Victorian greenhouse heated by a system of hot water pipes which remain in place, though not now working, and also a gently decaying concrete greenhouse from the 1950s – one of just four such glasshouses still standing! These glasshouse remnants chart nearly 200 years of horticultural advancements which kept Llanerchaeron’s kitchen garden producing the ‘earliest and rarest' produce.

Over fifty varieties of apple

Ancient apple trees, originally trained as espaliers, have created their own unique shapes and look as if they have seen every season that has passed since the walled gardens were first built. In more recent years more apple trees have been planted within the walled garden and there are now over 50 varieties of apple.

The herb garden

The herb garden is under the south facing wall of the East Walled Garden. The 25 rectangular beds arranged in a ‘piano key layout’ are filled with a range of culinary and medicinal herbs.

Fresh produce from the garden to your plate

Produce is sold in visitor reception and the offer varies according to the season. Everything in the kitchen garden is slow grown and fresh, meaning the produce is plump, juicy and extra tasty. A team of dedicated staff and volunteers tend to the plants, pick the fruit and veg and prepare them for sale.

We also sell a variety of perennial plants and herbs propagated on the estate. By buying Llanerchaeron produce you are helping us care for this garden and continue its restoration. Thank you.

The Pleasure Grounds

Beyond the Walled Garden lie the lake and Pleasure Grounds. These provide a tranquil, sheltered spot to enjoy a peaceful walk around the lake, watch the wildlife and look out to the wider estate.

In the summer months the Pleasure Grounds provide welcome shade beside the spectacular blooms of the rhododendrons and water lilies on the lake.