THE GREAT BRITISH GARDEN TOUR CONTINUES, DAY 14

Fortified by the previous night's dinner of delicious Welsh lamb shanks, prepared by our hostess Eleri, and the morning's breakfast, which turned out to be just the same as the good old English breakfast, we headed off to visit Powis Castle. Little did we know that we were about to enter the yew hedge capital of the world. I would hazard a guess that you will find it in the Guinness Book of Records. If not, then surely it should be in there.

POWIS CASTLE

Among gardeners, who does not have Artemisia x 'Powis Castle'? Here is the castle itself built in the 12th Century.

and here are the yews.

Built on a hill top with terraced gardens overhung with magnificent clipped yews. Imagine the work that must go into maintaining such hedges, their bizarre shapes formed by wind and weather. They were planted in 1640. At that age they really deserve to grow any way they like.

And the view from the top of the many terraces.





The more formal gardens lie below

A stunning arched arbor.

The Orangery sheltered below the upper terrace.

This striking combination of lime green Euphorbia and Parrot's beak, Lotus maculatus, in the front of this herbaceous border.

One last look at the amazing view over the green Welsh countryside and we hurried back to the car. We had planned an early morning visit to Skomer Island off the Pembrokeshire coast.