The terraced gardens at Powis Castle

Last September (2025) we spent a few days on the Welsh border near Shrewsbury.  Within easy distance, near Welshpool, is the National Trust property of Powis Castle.  Renowned for its massive terraces, this is a garden I've long wanted to visit.  I was not disappointed.

Seen from the lowest part of the garden the terraces sweep up the hillside, each level linked by steps and pathways.  For 75 year old me getting down and getting back up again (entry is at the top) was a little bit of a struggle but I managed.

As the terracing is bounded by brick walls, stonework and paved pathways each of the terraces benefits from a warmer microclimate than would be expected from mid Wales.  And this has been exploited to use more tender exotics in the broad borders on each terrace.  My type of gardening!

Individual terraces are broad, allowing lawns on some, such as this one in front of the conservatory.

With space available giant containers filled with a host of interesting tender annuals and perennials are a prominent feature.  I'd like to try some of the planting combinations in our own garden if we only had the room.

And every terrace offered a view across the valley to the hills beyond.  Breath taking, given the contrast in early Autumn colour with the garden's Japanese maples and the natural landscape beyond.

If I lived more closely this is a garden I'd visit time and again.  The only downside?  Maria couldn't come with me as the terraces are not disabled friendly.

Gardening with Passion

Passion flowers that is.  Two years ago I lost a massive Abutilon 'Waltz' on my south facing rear house wall.  Not to frost but to an Atlantic gale that whipped it out of the ground.  At it's peak it was magnificent and I still mourn the loss.

The question then became what to replace it with.  And the answer came in the shape of a visit to the now sadly defunct Hill House nursery.  They had two fairly new passion flowers in the greenhouse, both allegedly hardy, and both bred to stay open for two to three days rather that the one day with Passiflora caerulea.

I bought one of each.  White 'Snow Queen'...

...and blue 'Clear Sky'

Don't they make a lovely couple.

They did well last year while establishing but with one comparatively mild winter out of the way they've exploded to cover a good chunk of the wall in their planting corner.  Now hung with a myriad of flower buds and the first couple of flowers already out they're promising to produce a fantastic display this summer.  And, yes, the individual flowers do last up to three days.

Oh, and they're also encroaching on a space occupied by my plant of Clematis florida var. sieboldiana 'Viennetta', a passion flower look alike I have growing on an adjacent wall and also coming up for flowering.

It will be interesting to see them side by side as a group of hardy exotic climbers for milder UK gardens.

More Eye Candy from The Garden House

It's been two years since I last posted on my gardening blog.  I did think that it was time to put it to bed but the old posts keep attracting interest, I've revived my photography blog, and temptation has got the better of me.  But I will shift the emphasis from my own garden to garden visits and scenes from The Garden House, the Devon garden I volunteer at as their photographer, website maintainer and assister with marketing and promotion.  

One of the things I do is a weekly Facebook/Instagram post with vistas from the garden.  The 10 acre garden changes as the seasons develop through the year so I'll make these views a regular feature, together with shots from other gardens in the area, planting combinations and ideas I like and other musings.

But first, to kick it off again, some shots from The Garden House (April 20th or 27th). Click to embiggen.

The Arboretum lake with bog bean in front

The Rhododendron Walk

At the base of the Acer Glade

View from the Wisteria Bridge to the wedding cake trees

View across the second lawn to the Rhododendron Bank

View from the second terrace of the Walled Garden

View across the top lawn

View along the top terrace of the Walled Garden

The first of the many Wisteria in flower in the Walled Garden