The National Botanic Garden of Wales is the No 1 winter wonderland in the UK, according to garden writer Stephen Anderton.
Writing in The Times’ Weekend section on Saturday, Stephen describes the Garden’s Great Glasshouse as “the best place to be in winter” and he rates our Tropical House as “magical”.
He says: “It invariably takes me by surprise when I enter a steamy glasshouse in winter and my glasses fog up. But it is rather magical to see orchids and pitcher plants in full fling, all that glossy greenery that winter has spoilt outdoors.
“The National Botanic Garden of Wales has a fine tropical house, apparently vast from a distance but it’s cosy enough inside.”
But Stephen’s pick – which includes the likes of Wisley, Hilliers, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and Hestercombe – saves its highest praise for the largest single-span glasshouse on the planet: “The best place to be in winter, however, is the blimp-shaped Great Glasshouse, sitting in the landscape like a shiny glass hill. It’s the best because inside is a Mediterranean climate, with plants from all over the world. It’s cool and bright and the season is already advancing.
“You feel as if spring can’t be far away.”
The Garden’s Head of horticulture Ivor Stokes said: “This is a tremendous accolade which goes to prove what we are always saying; that the Garden is a fabulous, all-year-round attraction – and that the Great Glasshouse and its Mediterranean plant collection really has to be seen to be believed.”
* The Garden is open from 10am-4.30pm in winter. For more information, go to www.gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 668768
