I am sure there are hidden gems in most places, so when you are visiting somewhere new it is helpful to have a recommendation from a local resident – in our case the local resident was Janet of Plantaliscious who, when she heard we were having a couple of days in Anglesey kindly invited us to call in for a cup of tea while we were there. It was a surreal experience seeing a garden I had got to know through a blog – and meeting the blogger! Thank you, Janet, for your hospitality – it was a pleasure to meet you.
Janet also recommended some places to visit on our short stay, including The Dingle, a nature reserve at Llangefni, a 10 hectare (25 acre) wooded valley, rich in wildlife and history. As well as the December pleasures of woodland trees and crunchy leaves underfoot, the sight of banks of bluebells promising spectacular blooms next spring, and the potential sighting of red squirrels (none sighted), the reserve was home to numerous sculptures, from cones and seedpods to leavesΒ and dragonflies, and an entrance of split oak timbers revealing work by a local poet and a range of circular castings featuring the wildlife that can be found in the reserve. A short walk, discretely hidden from the bustle of the town, but a little gem.
Love that sculpture trail! Woodland walks are great but it lifts the whole experience to follow such beautiful carvings – I’ve seen similar in the Forest of Dean but the seed pod carvings here are just gorgeous! All this and getting to meet Janet too – hidden gems, indeed!
Oh yes, Caro, on all counts!!
How wonderful to meet Janet and her garden! We have had many a holiday on Anglesey when we lived in the NW, but that was about 40 odd yrs ago when the children were small! The sculpture trail certainly wasn’t there then, I would have loved to visit it!
Yes, these sculptures were quite recent. There were sculptures at our hotel too, which were lit up at night – the Ideas bench was there. I do hope to meet up with other garden blogger friends too, over time – it was such a lovely experience
I’m intrigued by the wood sculptures as wood is one of my favourite materials. PS: As I’ve mentioned before you’re always welcome for a cuppa π
Tee hee – I spluttered into my coffee when I read your comment Annette. I know it it’s unlikely, but you never know – and the offer is of course reciprocated π
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Lovely sculpture, a cut above the normal chain-saw mushrooms!
Yes, rather more attention to detail, I would say – and take a little more than 5 minutes too π
Oh how fun that must have been! I’d love to visit some of my blogger’s gardens some time. Blessings, Natalie π
Thanks Natalie – it was indeed a lovely experience and it would be lovely to meet more bloggers and their gardens too
Oh what an inviting entrance Cathy into what looks like a magical glade. Himself and I honeymooned on Anglesey at the beginning of December. How exciting to have met Janet. All the bloggers I’ve met have been lovely folk π
What a coincidence, Anna, that you honeymooned in Anglesey! And how lovely to have already met other bloggers – would you like to meet another one ….?
Cathy how very special to be able to visit Janet and her garden.
Yes, Donna, it was lovely π