The county of Carmarthenshire is famous for its wonderful public gardens and we are fortunate to have The National Botanic Gardens of Wales on our doorstep. Aberglasney is only half an hour away too and Colby Gardens less than 30 minutes. I have always loved gardening although will be the first to admit that I rarely plan things here at Old Oak Barn. Rather the gardens just evolve. For 40 years now I have been growing flowers and vegetables 30 years of which have been here at Cwmpalis. Although initially it was a 20/80 split with veggies being the main things grown, more recently and in the last 10 years the emphasis has been more on growing flowers. By this I mean growing from seeds I have collected or been given from friends or from cuttings. I grow perennials too and since developing the new bed at the bottom of the front lawn by the farmhouse I can see their value. I tend not to have colour themes but instead go for vibrant colours everywhere. If someone was to ask my favourites I would have to say roses, sweetpeas, cosmos, jasmine and poppies, all of which thrive here at Cwmpalis.
I am fortunate to have great backdrops to the garden from many angles. On the left you can see the approach to the farm and holiday cottage which hints at the sheltered valley we live in. in 2015 I bought a wonderful 12 by 9 wooden greenhouse which is proving a big success. One cucumber plant this summer has produced over 150 cucumbers!
We always arrange cut flowers in the barn for visitors who have come to expect this extra touch. It is always possible to find something of beauty to display in the barn! When we have a glut of vegetables we often offload onto visitors free of charge.
01994 230516 or 07787 148884
Old Oak Barn, St Clears, Carmarthenshire, SA33 4DS. UK
