Clyne Gardens is a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, UK. The current park was formed from the landscaped gardens created by Glynn Vivian of the Vivian family who purchased Clyne Castle in 1860. The estate passed in 1921 to his nephew Algernon, 'The Admiral', who owned it until his death in 1952. Clyne Gardens is bordered by Mumbles Road and Mayals Road in the Blackpill and Mayals areas of Swansea, west of the city, and has entrances off both these roads. The gardens are listed on the

Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales The Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales is a heritage register of significant historic parks and gardens in Wales. It is maintained by Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and ...

Attractions

The gardens consist of 19

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...

s of land and have over 2,000 plants, including over 800

rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; : ''rhododendra'') is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae, heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan ...

s for which the gardens are renowned. Clyne holds National Collections of Pieris, Enkianthus and rhododendrons. Due to the cool, wet and temperate local climate, many plants thrive here not normally considered hardy for its latitude. There are extensive bog gardens, home to "giant rhubarb" (

Gunnera manicata ''Gunnera manicata'', known as Brazilian giant-rhubarb or giant rhubarb, is a species of flowering plant in the family Gunneraceae from the coastal Serra do Mar Mountains of Santa Catarina, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul States, Brazil. In cultiva ...

) and American skunk cabbage. The gazebo to the right of the castle was built by the Admiral to view the incoming ships as they entered Swansea Bay, and is surrounded by a stand of

Monterey Pine ''Pinus radiata'' (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Pinus insignis''), the Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a species of pine native to the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California and Mexico (on Guadalupe Island and Ced ...

'Pinus radiata'. These trees have retained their lower branches which filter the prevailing winds and give greater cover (protection) to the area. A Japanese garden at the top of the gardens has a red and white painted bridge, many bamboo plants and an artificial lake with a waterfall passing underneath the bridge. The water which rises in Clyne Common travels under the Japanese Bridge and through the gardens to join the sea at Blackpill. Alongside the bridge is a fine specimen of the handkerchief tree 'Davidia Involucrata var. vilmoriniana'. The park is scattered with small dogs' graves to commemorate the Admiral's family pets. Joy Cottage at the seafront entrance was built as a miniature cottage for the relaxation and education of the Admiral's daughters by nannies employed to teach reading, writing and cookery. Clyne Chapel, built by William Graham Vivian, was opened for worship in 1908. Beneath it, in a private vault, Graham Vivian, his sister Dulcie and the Admiral are buried.

Notable trees

The tallest recorded

Magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

in Britain ' Magnolia campbellii var. alba' can be found here. The

Oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

woodland is a remnant of Clyne

Forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

, an important Norman 11th century historical feature. Glynn Vivian planted three notable trees still alive in front of the castle: one Wellingtonia '

Sequoiadendron giganteum ''Sequoiadendron giganteum'' (also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood or Wellingtonia) is a species of coniferous tree, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the la ...

' and two Monterey Cypress '

Cupressus macrocarpa ''Hesperocyparis macrocarpa'' also known as ''Cupressus macrocarpa'', or the Monterey cypress is a coniferous tree, and is one of several species of Cupressaceae, cypress trees native to California. The Monterey cypress is found naturally only ...

', one a fastigiate form which is also one of the tallest recorded in Britain.

Attractions

Notable trees

See also

References

External links