With Glansevern Hall Gardens being just a few miles down the road, I’d been meaning to visit for years but somehow had never made it. So with nothing to do on a hot day in June, Mum and I decided to head there for a wander around.
Nestled between the rivers Severn and Rhiw, Glansevern Hall and its Gardens sit in 25 acres of land next to the A483 at Refail, between Newtown and Welshpool, in Mid Wales. The hall itself is private and not open to visitors, however, the gardens, with a lake, folly garden, walled garden, woodland, meadow and more, are stunning in their own right and are well worth visiting.
Entry is via the Georgian courtyard where visitors will find The Potting Shed Cafe (with tables inside and out) and The Chic Shed Shop. The cafe was doing a roaring trade whilst we were there, but the shop didn’t seem to be open (although there were some plants on sale outside the cafe). The cafe and shop are free to visit, with tickets for the gardens on sale inside the cafe. However, once we’d bought our tickets nobody checked them as we ventured into the gardens. I do wonder how many ticket sales are missed out on.
We headed straight to the lake and took in the Lakeside Walk. As soon as we got to the lakeside we were lucky enough to catch sight of a heron landing in a tree (it’s not often you see birds that big around here!). We found plenty of benches and places to sit and take in the wonderful views.
Birdwatchers will be pleased to know there is a bird hide in the meadow overlooking the river. However, there are also plenty of opportunities to see all sorts of wildlife around the gardens. As well as the heron, we spotted a squirrel jumping through the grass and up into a tree, bees and many garden birds flying about. Unfortunately, there were one or two bugs about too – one decided to climb my leg and another decided to bite my arm!
As well as wildlife, the gardens boastfully display all sorts of flowers, plants and trees, including the Akebia Walk and Wisteria Walk found inside The Walled Gardens. They really are beautiful.
Back in the courtyard, The Potting Shed Cafe makes a welcome stop for refreshments after a couple of hours wandering around the gardens.
We enjoyed our trip out to Glansevern Hall Gardens and will definitely be visiting again.
If you’re in the area, why not drop in? Nearby attractions include Powis Castle, Montgomery Castle, Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, Rhiw Valley Light Railway and Gregynog Hall.
I have never come across Glensevern Hall before, but as we both enjoy walking around gardens, it is definitely a place to bear in mind if we are up your way.
Unfortunately, we have a real heron problem around here and he regularly visits our two ponds, hoping for lunch to be made available. We have had to take extreme measures to protect our koi babies, but he obviously circles around looking for any random opportunity.
There are quite a few lakes and reservoirs around this way, where you can go as an amateur bird and wildlife watcher, although the amount of times we have gone out and have forgotten to put the binoculars in the car, doesn’t bear thinking about!
As usual, you have some great pictures to share, do you have an Instagram or Pinterest account? they would look great in a catalogue 🙂
I’m on Instagram (link at the top of the page). I also have a Flickr account, but it’s feeling a little neglected at the moment!
It looks like a lovely place to visit. I do love that wooden hare. We often miss out on places of interest close by as we tend to venture further afield for days out but we’ve started visiting more places in our own area.
The Hall looks lovely and those gardens are spectacular, what a lovely place.
I don’t think many people are avoiding paying the fee, but I might be wrong. It made me remember when I went to Kew to buy a book and the guys that were checking the tickets said that I could go in the shop or my husband, but not both of us. It was so embarrassing and annoying, my husband got in, bought the £20 book, and we left. We didn’t buy tickets to visit the gardens (again) because we were busy, not because we wanted to avoid paying the entry fee. If I would manage a garden, I would rather have a non-paying customer walking around than annoy somebody that wants to buy something from the shop.
Nikki, this is just spectacular! I love your fabulous wildlife shots as much as the flowers but both are glorious. What a place to visit.
We will be visiting Abergavenny in October. I wonder if this is far? We don’t know what our transportation situation will be — probably train and bus!
It’s about an hour and a half to two hours from Abergavenny (depending on how many tractors you encounter on the way!). By train, you’d need to go from Abergavenny to Shrewsbury, then catch the Aberystwyth train to Welshpool and then a bus from there (it’s not far from Welshpool).
What a beautiful place! All your photos are wonderful, but I especially like that wooden door into the walled garden.
My sympathies on the bugs. I’ve really been battling them on my morning walks the past month or two – the horse flies and deer flies in particular.
Seems like a great place for an outing with lots of birds and greenery. I love the thrush and flower shots especially.
Looks a lovely and tranquil place to explore and see all that nature has to offer X
A gorgeous place to visit. Love the lush greenery and flowers as well as the wildlife.
Oh WHAT a gorgeous place that looks! I’m not surprised you are keen to return. I would like to go!
Your photo of the Bumblebee is a delight- she looks just so wonderfully shaggy!!!!
What a beautiful place!
Absolutely stunning photos. It looks really pretty and I get “secret garden” type vibes from it.
This looks like a lovely place to visit for a day trip. I love walking around and visiting such gardens, especially in springtime. Makes a good place for a bit of relaxation and maybe a nice picnic 🙂
Imagine living there in the old days!
I love your picture of the gate into the walled garden – it makes me think of The Secret Garden 🙂
What a beautiful building with beautiful greenery! Also, your photography is beautiful..
Looks lovely, I have put in on my must visit list 🙂
I am glad the gardens have reopened. We discovered them a couple of years ago but they were closed last year so we weren’t able to visit.
You have taken some great photos.
Yes, I was a bit gutted when they initially closed as I’d always wanted to go but never got around to it. They’re now open Wednesdays – Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays (10.30am – 5pm).
Thank you so much for my armchair visit to what looks like an incredible place. That little bridge, the grotto, the tree roots creeping along that wall …. glorious
Glensevern Hall’s a new one on me, but it looks idyllic. You must be very chuffed with those photos – especially the ones of the bee and the thrush!