Bodnant Garden
The scale, grandeur and scenic beauty of Bodnant Garden is immense. Set on a west-facing slope, 170 feet above the tidal River Conway, the massive granite house commands panoramic views of the eastern edge of the Snowdonia range. Below, a series of 5 gigantic Italianate terraces anchor the house majestically in its mountainous setting. The estate was bought by Henry Pochin in 1874. There was little garden here then, but when the house was built in 1792, Pochin began laying out a garden with the help of landscape architect Edward Milner. The leap of imagination that transformed Bodnant into the garden we see today was made by Pochin’s grandson Henry, the 2nd Lord Aberconway. He conceived and constructed the impressive terraces and oversaw the creation of the expansive lawns, grand ponds and woodlands, each enhanced by follies, fountains, buildings and dramatic views.