After a decade of challenges, the Edwardian rose garden at Dyffryn Gardens has been fully restored and this summer, it’s flowering for the first time.
Guided by Thomas Mawson’s original design and photographs from the early 1900’s, the team has carefully rebuilt the hedges, beds, pathways and planting. Every detail, from the disease-resistant box hedging to the improved soil, was chosen with long-term resilience in mind.
The restoration itself tells a local story. 1,146 pieces of stone, found in nearby farm fields during ploughing, were hand-sorted and prepared by volunteers over 407 hours across 10 weeks.
Now, David Austin roses fill the garden with fragrance, a rich colour wheel of roses which range from fuchsia to a soft blush pink, through to peach, lemon and bright white. The beautiful display could continue to bloom into early October and will continue to mature each year.
Chris Flynn, Head Gardener, South East Wales, National Trust Cymru said:
“We were inspired by Thomas Mawson’s original design of the rose garden. Our goal was to blend our existing historical research with innovative horticultural practice and create a garden which will continue to flourish for many years.”
Lizzie Smith Jones, General Manager, South East Wales, National Trust Cymru said:
“Our lives are so busy, and we want Dyffryn Gardens to be a space where people can truly pause, take a breath and reconnect with nature in this breathtaking space. Truly stop and smell the roses!”
