In May, I will be taking a group to North Wales to see some of the loveliest gardens there.
One of them is Powis Castle garden, just outside Welshpool.
I have been there twice before. The first time, I walked down the terraces from the house (castle) with its red brick walls and to the Orangery where I saw a magnificent yellow Banksia rose in full bloom.
A little farther on, I spotted a clump of lollipop-shaped sycamore-maple Brilliantissmum trees. I love this tree and planted one in my garden in Burnaby.
As I stood admiring this cluster of trees and feeling very smart for having picked the same one the gardeners at Powis had picked, an American came up to me and asked if I could identify the tree. Well, I was very proud to say ‘Yes, I can’ and to say why I was so positive.
One other interesting thing happened on my first visit to Powis. As Loraine and I walked on the lower levels of the garden, I spotted a couple standing at the very end of the garden. As I approached, the women walked up to me and said, “You’re Steve Whysall, the garden writer.” I was flabbergasted that this could happen here in the middle of a garden in Wales, so far from home. “I read you all the time,” she said. Turns out she was from Vancouver. She and her husband were touring Wales and taking time to visit special gardens.
I am looking forward to my return visit to Powis. Wonder what surprises are in store this time.
