The first North Wales Festival of Gardens, which takes place from Saturday 28 May to Sunday 5 June 2016, will see over 100 exciting, fascinating and entertaining garden events taking place at more than 20 of the great gardens of North Wales, set within some of the finest mountain, lake and coastal scenery in Britain.

Spring Azaleas at Plas Tan y Bwlch

The Festival is the brainchild of North Wales based garden writer and broadcaster Tony Russell, who is renowned as one of Britain’s leading experts on trees and shrubs and famously put the National Arboretum at Westonbirt in Gloucestershire onto the international tourism map.

The gardens taking part in the Festival include Aber Artro, Bodnant, Caerau Uchaf, Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Chirk Castle, Conwy Valley Maze, Crug Farm Plants, The Dingle, Erddig, Gregynog, Gwydir Castle, Nanhoron, Penrhyn Castle, Plas Brondanw, Plas Cadnant, Plas Newydd, Plas Tan y Bwlch, Plas yn Rhiw, Portmeirion, Powis Castle and Welsh Mountain Zoo Gardens.

On every morning, afternoon and evening of the nine days of the Festival there will be at least one special event happening in at least one of the gardens. Events will include behind the scenes guided tours, meet the head gardener (or owner) walks, gardening workshops, musical concerts, garden visits by vintage steam train, open-air plays, historical re-enactments, and much, much more.

Supported by North Wales Tourism, the Festival dates have been deliberately chosen to follow on straight after the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show. They also coincide with late-spring flowering displays, which include rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, tulips and flowering cherries, making this one of the very best times of year to visit the great gardens of North Wales.

We’re really looking forward to the first North Wales Festival of Gardens,” said Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism. “With such a huge range of events taking place in some of the most spectacular gardens in Britain, there really is something for everyone, and I’m sure the Festival will become a regular and popular feature of the international garden calendar.”

Plantsman, gardener, author and broadcaster Roy Lancaster CBE, VMH, will officially open the 2016 Festival at the beautifully-restored gardens of Plas Cadnant on the afternoon of Saturday May 28th. (Entry to this event is by pre-booked ticket only, call 01248 717174 for tickets).

Click here to find out more about the Festival and to download a free map and guide. If you are a travel agent and your clients would like to include a visit to the Festival in their itinerary, please do contact us – we are experts in delivering tailor made tours of Wales.