'Secret world' hidden away in North Wales that lures back people once they discover it

A waterfall on the Cadnant River, one of four in the gardens
A waterfall on the Cadnant River, one of four in the gardens -Credit:Gary Phillips/Plas Cadnant


From the road there are few signs of the treasures that lie beyond the pillared gateway. A short distance away lie a series of grottos, follies, dark tunnels and no fewer than four waterfalls.

There’s a walled garden, a “jungle” and an avenue of yew pyramids. For views, there are belvederes from which to admire wild woodlands and, in the distance, the rising peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia).

This is a place that defies convention made by a man who overcame nature. When Anthony Tavernor first arrived in 1996, its beauty was hidden beneath almost 70 years of undergrowth. Over time the bushes and brambles were cleared but the name stuck: today, Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens have become a must-visit for Anglesey’s locals and tourists.

So much so that, last autumn, Plas Cadnant was voted the nation’s favourite public garden in a competition backed by the National Garden Scheme. More recently, it was named the third top “hidden gem” in Wales based on Tripadvisor reviews, behind only Castell y Bere, Gwynedd, and Insole Court, Cardiff.

READ MORE: Dangers of Eryri's iconic waterfalls as visitors clamour for beauty spot selfies

READ MORE: Historic moment for North Wales quarrymen to be celebrated

But perhaps the biggest accolade lies in the number of repeat visitors it attracts: once discovered, the hidden gardens continue to exert a pull. Anthony, a former farmer from Staffordshire, was himself drawn to the 19th-century estate when he spotted an advert in a magazine. After driving to Anglesey he needed just 20 minutes to look around before making an offer.

He knew then that restoring would be a “labour of love” and two decades later, following a devastating flood, he was still smitten enough to restore it all over again. “Visitors think it’s called the hidden garden because they can’t find us,” he said. “But it was called that because it was almost totally derelict when I arrived, having been left untouched for decades.”

What lay beneath the dense canopy of laurel and rhododendron were walled and pleasure gardens dating back to the estate’s heyday. Plas Cadnant and its gardens were developed in the 19th century by the Price family, local gentry who owned 3,400 acres of land in North Wales.

The house was built in 1803 for John Price, Sheriff of Anglesey and agent to the Marquis of Anglesey, whose Plas Newydd seat was only four miles away. The two-acre walled garden soon followed, with the valley and upper woodland gardens coming later. The North Wales Live Whatsapp community for top stories and breaking news is live now - here’s how to sign up

The Lower Valley in Spring featuring Magnolia Apollo
The Lower Valley in Spring featuring Magnolia Apollo -Credit:Val Corbett/Plas Cadnant
A double border in Spring with pillars of Irish Yew
A double border in Spring with pillars of Irish Yew -Credit:Patrick Davies/Plas Cadnant

“The site was near the Bishop’s Ferry across the Menai Strait,” said Anthony. “At the time, Menai Bridge wasn’t yet developed as a town until Telford built his suspension bridge in 1826. There's evidence of a settlement at Cadnant since medieval times.”

The estate was broken up in the early 20th century, sold off in parcels. By the time Anthony bought it, he was left with its 200-acre core. The 10 acres of gardens hadn’t been touched since the 1940s.

Using old photographs and dog-eared Ordnance Survey maps, he pieced together the property’s history. From these, he also determined where footpaths ran and where bridges crossed the River Cadnant, providing a template for restoration.

Anthony first tackled the outbuildings, converting them into holiday cottages to fund the garden renovations. These were done slowly, meticulous and invariably on a shoestring. It was like peeling back the layers of another world, he said.

Once trees and bushes had been cleared away, gems uncovered included a 1930s tennis court, river stepping-stones and an old mill pool with a weir. It took him 20 years to discover a vast sloping slab of white quartz he knew must exist only because it was mentioned in a 1919 book.

“This is not a chequebook garden,” he said. “Not like some places you see where millions are spent to create an instant garden. I wanted to do it the traditional way, planting small and letting things develop naturally.”

'The Jungle' at Plas Cadnant in summer
'The Jungle' at Plas Cadnant in summer -Credit:William Fuller/Plas Cadnant
A raised border of tulips above the Yew Walk at Plas Cadnant
A raised border of tulips above the Yew Walk at Plas Cadnant -Credit:Patrick Davies/Plas Cadnant

One remarkable feature is Plas Cadnant’s “catenary curve” stone wall. Strung across a valley enclosed by the walled garden, its graceful curve mirrors the design of the Menai Suspension Bridge.

It was this wall that took the brunt of a catastrophic flood on Boxing Day 2015, when a

“tidal wave” of water

rampaged through the walled garden. The force of water from the flooded River Cadnant washed away many precious plants along with stone obelisks, platforms and seats. At the time Anthony described it as being like a bereavement.

Insurance covered much of the repairs and within 18 months the damage was unnoticeable. Helping out was Prince Charles: during his Welsh Week tour of the country in 2017, he visited the garden and planted an Acer to replace one lost in the flood.

Boxing Day floods in 2015 left a trail of destruction
Boxing Day floods in 2015 left a trail of destruction -Credit:Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens
King Charles, then Prince of Wales, toured the gardens in 2017 following its second restoration
King Charles, then Prince of Wales, toured the gardens in 2017 following its second restoration -Credit:Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The garden may have been restored by an Englishman but it remains defiantly Welsh. Fruit tree cordons include the Bardsey Apple and Anglesey Pig’s Snout, and even some of the more exotic plants were grown by local plantsmen and women. Copper planters are a nod to the Parys Mountain mine near Amlwch on the opposite side of Anglesey.

Anthony began offering guided tours, then opened his Hidden Gardens to the public. Before a proper tearoom was opened, early facilities were rudimentary. “Visitors would come into the house to use its toilet and into the kitchen for tea and cake,” he said.

“I love sharing the gardens with the interesting people who come here. Most are tourists and many are repeat visitors, returning each year when they come for their annual holidays. I’ve done an awful lot of work on the gardens but it was never my intention to keep them for myself.”

A waterfall at Plas Cadnant's '39 Steps' pool
A waterfall at Plas Cadnant's '39 Steps' pool -Credit:William Fuller/Plas Cadnant
Topiary and spring bulbs at Plas Cadnant
Topiary and spring bulbs at Plas Cadnant -Credit:Val Corbett/Plas Cadnant
Sun setting over a carpet of bluebells
Sun setting over a carpet of bluebells -Credit:Patrick Davies/Plas Cadnant

Last year’s soggy summer put a slight dent in visitor numbers and they’ve been slow to pick up this year after so much rain. But with the sun finally starting to appear, Anthony said things were now “ticking along nicely”.

In reality, Plas Cadnant’s gardens owe a debt to the weather and its geology. The warming Gulf Stream means the estate’s three valleys in the shelter of the Menai Strait are able to host plants more exotic than you might otherwise expect in such a northern latitude.

Not tropical, but there are definitely shades of Cornwall’s famously exotic gardens here. Appropriate then that former owners of Plas Cadnant were related to the Tremayne family of Heligan House, now famous for its own Lost Gardens. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter - sent every Friday

With The English Garden magazine's Nation's Favourite Public Garden 2023 award are, from left, Christopher Pilkington, Anthony Tavernor and Mari Hughes
With The English Garden magazine's Nation's Favourite Public Garden 2023 award are, from left, Christopher Pilkington, Anthony Tavernor and Mari Hughes -Credit:Patrick Davies/Plas Cadnant

Anthony wants the gardens to be a legacy, and as time creeps on he’s begun to ponder how this might be achieved. Discussions are underway but remain secret. “After I’m gone, I don’t want all the work I’ve done since 1996 to be undone,” he said.

Even after all this time, he still has a sense of wonder about the gardens and the strange, otherworldy “atmosphere” they possess. Despite curating them for almost three decades, he still feels like he’s “entering a secret world” whenever he comes up the driveway from the road that gives few clues as to what lies beyond.

  • Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens are now open until October, 12noon-5pm. Dates vary – for details see the website here. Brown tourist signs show the way as you leave Menai Bridge travelling along the A545 towards Beaumaris.

Find out what the weather is up to near you