Lavish festival of gardens set to open

* Eirlys Jones, left, and Clare Britton, from North

Wales Tourism and Tony Russell, the consultant

who has helped put the festival together

and is based at Plas Tan y Bwlch.

Thousands of green fingered tourists will be heading to North Wales for a spectacular 16-day festival of gardens.

A packed programme of events, ranging from behind the scenes guided tours and photography competitions to a squirrel watch and a vintage car rally will be staged as part of the Festival of Gardens North Wales.

The festival, which is being supported by the Welsh Government, is being organised by North Wales Tourism.

It will be officially opened at the beautiful Plas Tan y Bwlch gardens near Maentwrog in Gwynedd by Gardener’s Question Time chairman and former TV weatherman Peter Gibbs tomorrow, Saturday, May 27.

Last year’s inaugural Festival of Gardens North Wales brought almost 44,000 visitors flocking to the beauty spots involved and it's expected to plough up to £2 million into the region this summer.

This year for the first time there will be a Friends of the Festival Discount Card costing £5 which will include offers such as free tea/coffee and discounted admission.

According to Peter Gibbs, the festival will uncover some hidden gems of the garden world.

Peter, who was also a BBC national TV weatherman until last year, said: “A lot of people, including gardeners, don’t realise how many different gardens there are in North Wales.

“Apart from the large, well known National Trust ones there are also lots of fantastic smaller gardens and without this sort of festival they wouldn’t get noticed by the kind of people who would really enjoy them.

Peter added: “It’s a great honour to be invited to open the festival and I’m really looking forward to what should be a memorable occasion in a wonderful part of the world.

“From a weather point of view North Wales is very interesting. It has a relatively mild climate and because of the Gulf Stream doesn’t get a lot of particularly cold weather. There’s also the effect of the mountains which gives you so many different micro-climates."

Peter, who’s had his key role on Gardeners’ Question Time for over 10 years, describes himself a `very keen gardener’ and admits this puts him in a fortunate position when it comes to getting the best advice.

“I’m very lucky to have all those experts on tap and if I do have problems in my own garden I know exactly who to call on for help,” he said.

“This year the programme, which I feel very fortunate to be involved in, celebrates its 70^th anniversary which will be marked by a number of special features looking back over the years and forward to hopefully the next 70.”        

North Wales Tourism managing director Jim Jones said: “North Wales has some of the most beautiful gardens in the UK and this event is all about showing them off to as many people as possible.”  

 

More than 100 unique events are planned over the 16 days of the festival at gardens taking part including musical performances, orienteering sessions, treasure hunts, bug hunts, gardening lectures, family treasure hunts, children’s trails and plant sales.

The festival dates have been arranged to coincide with late-spring flowering displays, which will include rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, tulips and flowering cherries, making this one of the best times of the year to visit the great gardens of North Wales.

Jim Jones added: “This is the second year of the festival and it’s going from strength to strength.

“It’s an excellent example of what can be achieved when North Wales gets together for a particular offer – in this case its wonderful gardens.

“We have some of the most beautiful in the UK, including some real hidden gems, and this is about showing them off to as many people as possible.

“You can see our gardens separately but being able to visit them all together during the festival is amazing and the event is the perfect showcase for one of our best assets.

“The festival has been extensively marketed and we expect to attract thousands of visitors not just from around the gardens but also from a much wider area including other parts of Wales as well as the North West and Midlands of England.

“Last year’s inaugural festival was a major success and brought over 43,000 people through the gates of the gardens involved.

“Welsh Government figures show that the average spend per day visit to Wales was £39 last year, which means the festival had the potential to bring a total of over £1.7 million into the local economy. 

“This year that figure could be even higher with the festival lasting longer and involving more gardens, which is great news for North Wales.”

He added: “We have an exciting, fascinating and entertaining programme of events and activities lined up, which means that every morning, afternoon and evening there will be at least one special event happening in or more of the gardens.

“We are also very lucky to have Peter Gibbs, who hosts the iconic Gardener’s Question Time on BBC Radio, to open the festival at Plas Tan y Bwlch on Saturday May 27, which should be a brilliant occasion.”   

Special advisor to the festival once again is gardens guru Tony Russell, renowned as one of Britain’s leading experts on trees and shrubs who also makes regular appearances on the BBC’s Gardener’s Question Time.

He said: “Having launched the festival in 2016, I am delighted to see it develop and grow into such an exciting event.

“For 2017 there are even more gardens involved and between them they will be running in excess of 100 special events.

“Having worked in horticulture for over 30 years, I can honestly say there is nothing quite like the festival held in any other part of Britain.

“North Wales has some of the finest gardens in the UK and the festival is a way of telling the world all about them.”

Gardens taking part in the festival from the county of Gwynedd are: Plas Yn Rhiw at Pwllheli, Caerau Uchaf in Bala, Treborth Botanic Garden in Bangor, Crug Farm Plants in Caernarfon, Parc Glynllifon in Caernarfon, Aber Arto Hall in Llanbedr, Plas Glyn y Weddw in Llanbedrog, Plan Tan y Blwch near Maentwrog, Portmeirion in Penrhyndeudraeth, Plas Brondanw at Penrhyndeudraeth, Nanhoron in Pwllheli and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. 

In the county of Anglesey it’s Plas Newydd in Llanfairpwll and Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens in Menai Bridge.

In the county of Denbighshire it’s Plas Newydd in Llangollen, Bodrhyddan Hall Gardens in Rhyl, Nantclwyd y Dre in Ruthin and Dibleys Nuseries near Ruthin.

In the county of Powys there’s Powis Castle and Gardens near Welshpool, the Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth and The Dingle Garden near Welshpool.

Taking part from the county of Wrexham are Chirk Castle near Chirk and National Trust Erddig near Wrexham.   

Gardens from the county of Conwy involved in include Bodnant Garden at Tal y Cafn and Gwrych Castle in Abergele which will be open on May 27, 28 and 29.

Highlights of the Festival of Gardens North Wales:

• In Wrexham, throughout the festival the National Trust is holding Big Bug Hunt where visitors can look for big cuddly bugs in the house and cast their eyes over some creepy carvings outdoors by international chainsaw artist Simon O’Rourke. Both parts of the hunt take place daily from 10am to 5pm in the garden and 12.30pm to 3.30pm in the house.
• In Anglesey there is a Red Squirrel Walk at Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens in Menai Bridge on June 4, starting at 2pm.
• In Powys there is the Dig a little Deeper event at Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth. Running each day from May 27 to June 4 between 10am and 5pm, it includes tours, activities, trails and workshops. The festival coincides with school holidays so there will be lots of garden inspired activities for kids and families.
• Among the highlights in Conwy is the Dawn Chorus Walk at Bodnant Garden near Colwyn Bay on May 29, starting early from 5.30-7.30am at a cost of £20. It includes a magical tour of the garden at dawn, including an exclusive viewing of the Laburnum Arch and expert birdwatching advice. A full Welsh breakfast will be available afterwards at a cost of £5.
• In Gwynedd there is a vintage car rally at Parc Glynllifon, Caernarfon from 10am-5pm on Sunday June 11.
• Highlight in Denbighshire comes on Sunday June 11 with the annual plant fayre at Bodrhyddan Hall.  

This year for the first time there will be a Friends of the Festival Discount Card costing £5 which will include offers such as free tea/coffee and discounted admission. For more information about the festival go to www.gardensnorthwales.co.uk

UKIP supplies Clwyd South candidate's details

Details of the UKIP candidate for Clwyd South in the general election have now been supplied.

Jeanette Bassford-Barton (pictured) spent her early years in Gresford and now lives in Bwlchgwyn.

A qualified transport manager, social care manager and now a psychotherapist/hypnotherapist, she gained degrees in Liverpool and Manchester and post-graduate degrees in Liverpool and Chester.

She says she has always had an interest in politics, history and current affairs and in earlier years supported her late husband in local elections in Liverpool.

She has stood as a candidate for UKIP in a council by-election in Llay in July 2015 and was a Welsh Assembly candidate for Wrexham in May 2016.

She has served as secretary/treasurer for UKIP's Wrexham and Clwyd South Branch and is now treasurer of the same branch.

She believes there is a `north/south divide' in Wales and says: "So much is given in funding to South Wales and North Wales, by comparison, is the poor relative.  

"Public transport is a major concern for me. There is restricted access during the day, some buses not starting service until 9.30am. There is no access to public transport in the evenings or at night. This can affect shift workers and people working unsocial hours or people wishing to go out in the evenings. Taxis are very expensive."

Ms Bassford-Barton added: "Communities, health, social care and education are of prime importance and there needs to be more cohesion in these areas.  

"Youth  and the elderly are also of major concern to me and there is very little to offer young people by way of youth clubs and after-school activities in the villages and small towns of Clwyd South and I feel that more funding and training of volunteers should be found to ease and help this situation.

"Our elderly should be looked after and respected, they have worked hard and contributed to the economy in their working lives and now deserve to have some relief in their twilight and sometimes sick, disabled and pain ridden years and this is where our health service can help."  

She says she also believes in the UKIP policy that farming subsidies should stay in place after Brexit, with special consideration being given to hill farmers.

Operatic gets its timing right with 9 to 5

* A scene from 9 to 5 at the Town Hall.

llanblogger review

Llangollen Operatic Society has once again got their timing right with their latest production, the Dolly Parton-penned comedy musical 9 to 5.

Yesterday’s first night audience at the Town Hall lapped up every second of the show which tells the hilarious tale of how a bunch of office worms turn to eventually take over the running of their company – and would easily have come back for seconds.

It’s 1979 and the staff of US-based Consolidated Industries, especially the females amongst them, are being ground down by their chauvinistic boss, Franklin Hart Jnr - until inexperienced new employee Judy Burnley turns up.

Her arrival in the typing pool is the spark for revolution when she teams up with efficient manager Violet Newstead and the voluptuous Doralee Rhodes, the Dolly Parton character who everyone suspects of having an affair with Hart.

Their various strategies ultimately give the good guys control of the place – but only after a great number of laughs are generated.

A terrific trio has been cast to take on the three key roles of the piece which adds some very catchy tunes to dear Dolly’s original words that were filmed for the big screen back in the eighties.

The reserved but gutsy Judy is played to perfection by society stalwart Louisa Jones, while another Llangollen stage favourite Helen Belton shines as Violet. Rising star Louise Cielecki makes a bustling, brilliant Doralee.

Apart from fitting their characters like custom-made cowboy boots each of them can also belt out a mean tune of which there’s a fair spattering throughout the lively two-acter.

Relative newcomer Brett Jones is seedier than an explosion in a tomato canning factory as Hart and, as intended, has the audience hating him right from the start.

Backing up the leads is an impressive supporting team spearheaded by Tessa Orton Jones who stepped in at virtually the last minute to take on the role of Roz Keith, who’d do anything to please the awful boss, after the lady with whom she was originally part-sharing, Justine Bradey, had an accident in rehearsals.

The script demands quite a bit of set-piece show dancing and singing. And that’s admirably provided by a strong ensemble cast.

Smooth musical backing was provided for all this by a six-piece band under the baton of musical director Elen Mair Roberts.

Settings are masterfully created by the back-stage crew and costumes, lighting and sound are up to the society’s usual high standard.

This is an inspired co-production by Alix Rawlinson and Robin Crowley which ranks as another hit for the talented Llangollen team.

To reflect the day’s dreadful news from Manchester, the show was prefaced by one minute’s silence.

9 to 5 is on again tonight (Wednesday) and also Thursday and Friday with two shows on Saturday. Tickets, I understand, are in high demand.

County lifts computer restrictions

Denbighshire County Council has announced that restrictions imposed on access to webmail addresses from public access computers in the county’s libraries have now been lifted.

The precautionary measures were introduced following the recent cyber issues, to mitigate any potential risks to Denbighshire’s systems. No security breaches had been reported with the Council’s systems.

Whilst access to all webmail is now enabled for libraries (public access) and schools,   the Council is urging people to remain vigilant. Suspicious e-mails should not be opened and should be deleted immediately. People should also avoid opening links sent via an e-mail and should not open any suspicious attachments.

All new incoming e-mails from hotmail.com, hotmail.co.uk, outlook.com, gmail.com, NHS.net, NHS.co.uk and NHS.uk will now be allowed through the system.

 

Plas Newydd news for June

Saturday 3^rd June

Llangollen Rotary Club Garden Fete

Plas Newydd is again host this year to the popular Rotary Club Garden Fete.  Come along for a fun afternoon out with the family with many stalls and entertainment. 

Monday 12^th June    18.30  -  20.30

Myths & Legends Talk Part 2 with Gill Smith

The Myths and Legends  talk with Gill Smith on Wed 26th April was very well attended  and very informative.  As a result a second was requested and this is now arranged for Monday 12^th  June.  This date was chosen as it is the special day of the Warrior Princess Gwenllian. 

Wednesday  14^th June   14.00  -  16.00

Give Bowling a go

Meet at Plas Newydd.  Come and try your hand at bowling in the magnificent setting of Plas Newydd with the Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley and the AONB Officer. 

Friday 16^th  June   10.00  -  12.00

Meet the Gardener Tour

Meet Plas Newydd.  Find out the secrets of the gardens at Plas Newydd with a tour of the grounds with the gardener.

Strong male voice choir line-up for eisteddfod opener

* Colne Valley Male Voice Choir return to sing at this year's 70th eisteddfod. 

A male voice choir that performed at the first ever Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 1947 will sing alongside two of Wales’ most prolific male voice choirs at the event’s 70th anniversary opening concert on Monday July 3.

Colne Valley Male Voice Choir will join Froncysyllte (Fron) and Rhosllanerchrugog (Rhos) male voice choirs, to perform with the Canoldir Male Voice Chior, Cory Brass Band, conductor Owain Arwel Hughes, euphonium soloist David Childs and Voice of the Future 2015 winner Meinir Wyn Roberts.

Including operatic choruses, classical favourites and some of Wales’ best known hymns, the show is jointly sponsored by Denbighshire County Council and Hamper Llangollen.

Fron Male Voice Choir, like the Eisteddfod, celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.

Formed in 1947, inspired by the inaugural International Eisteddfod, its history reflects that of the festival with many of its members coming together after returning from war.

Remarkably, two of its original members still sing with the choir.

Joining the Fron is Rhos Male Voice Choir, one of the most successful in Wales and 2015 winners of the male voice choir section at the International Eisteddfod.

The Rhos has also enjoyed a unique hat trick of wins when it took first place in the male voice choir competitions in The Llangollen Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod and S4C’s Côr Cymru in 2013.

Colne Valley was the first male voice choir to take the stage at the 1947 event and they remain one of the festival’s most prolific competitors.

The choir boasts six wins – including a hat trick in 1960, 1961 and 1962 - five second and two third prizes, in 23 competitive visits.

Canoldir, a Birmingham-based male choir that was formed on St David’s Day in 1966 by a group of Welsh exiles and some English friends, completes the opening concert’s male voice line-up.

The impressive line up will perform under the baton of Owain Arwel Hughes who has conducted and recorded with many of the world’s leading orchestras.

Eilir Owen Griffiths, Music Director of the International Eisteddfod, said: “The line up for our Monday night opening concert is simply phenomenal and perfectly combines the Eisteddfod’s history and heritage with world class musical talent." 

Bob Jaques, from the organising committee of concert co-sponsor Hamper Llangollen, said: “What a fitting start to the International Eisteddfod’s 70th Anniversary concert schedule. We are looking forward to an evening of rousing classical music and powerful Welsh hymns to get us in the mood for the rest of the week.”

* For more information or to purchase tickets for the 70th anniversary Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, including Llanfest, go to: www.Llangollen.net

David looks back at a dangerous age in new book

Local author invites llanblogger to review his latest novel

David Ebsworth has produced a new all-action novel which manages to deliver a fascinating history lesson into the bargain.

Despite the rising popularity of books with a military history theme, works about the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s are still not all that common.

And consequently our knowledge of this episode of blood-letting which presaged the Second World War tends to be perhaps a little sparse.

But Until the Curtain Falls by Ebsworth, who already has a handful of historical fiction novels covering periods from the Dark Ages to the Zulu War to his credit, goes a long way to correct this imbalance.

* Author David Ebsworth.

While displaying all the nail-biting drama and plot twists of a classic spy or detective story, it also tells us much about the epic battle of fascism v socialism which is its backcloth.

The book is actually a sequel to the author’s earlier novel, The Assassin’s Mark, which placed left-wing journalist Jack Telford right in the heart of the conflict leading to the rise to power of the dictator Franco who went on to rule Spain with an iron hand until his death in 1975.

In the first novel Telford finds himself in plenty of trouble when a press facility trip to the war-torn country designed to show Franco’s Nationalists in the best possible light takes some seriously sinister turns.

Until the Curtain Falls, set in the closing stage of the war in the autumn of 1938,  takes the plot on from there and places Telford in some even more perilous predicaments.

But he’s no plastic James Bond figure and doesn’t always manage to escape unscathed. Although Telford must at times turn into a killer it’s a reluctant one and in one stomach-churning episode in which he is tortured by a fascist henchman he ends up with a life-changing injury.

The plot roars its way across a Spain where both the landscape and the people are  deeply scarred by civil war – always the most wounding of conflicts – and, thanks to some meticulous research, every step of the way the detail against which Ebsworth sets the action is little short of superb, right down to the correct-for-the-period price of the tickets when Telford spends a night at the theatre.

Every key character is magnificently drawn and the dialogue entirely believable.    

The book pulls no punches either when it comes to its references to Britain’s less than glorious influence on the war which was a dress rehearsal for the much larger conflict destined to erupt in September 1939.

In every sense this book is a cracking read and also an absorbing backward glance at a very dangerous age.

* Until the Curtain Falls is published by Silverwood Books at £10.99. For more information, go to: http://www.davidebsworth.com/until-curtain-falls