The 'secret world' with 'jungle and pyramids' that people always return to

From the road, there are few signs of the treasures that lie beyond the pillared gateway. A short distance away lies 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), reports North Wales Live.

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.

READ MORE: Huge 4x4 'dangles' at top of garden after rolling away from house

READ NEXT: I worked at Wales' most haunted house and it changed my view on life

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.

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 realised early on that the restoration would be a "labour of love". Even after two decades and a devastating flood, he was still passionate enough to restore it once more.

"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."

Beneath the thick canopy of laurel and rhododendron lay walled and pleasure gardens dating back to the estate's prime. 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 constructed 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 was added shortly after, with the valley and upper woodland gardens following later.

"The site was near the Bishop's Ferry across the Menai Strait," Anthony explained. "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 divided up in the early 20th century and sold off in sections. By the time Anthony purchased 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, Anthony Emery, a retired architect, pieced together the property's history, determining the paths and bridges of the River Cadnant, which provided a template for restoration.

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

Once trees and bushes were cleared, hidden treasures were uncovered, including 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."

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 river 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.

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."

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 truth, the lush landscaped gardens of Plas Cadnant can attribute its impressive array of exotic plants to geology and weather. The Gulf Streams warming effect enables the estate's three valleys, protected by the Menai Strait, to sustain flora you wouldn't usually find at such northern latitudes.

There's a Cornish vibe about these gardens, not surprising given that Plas Cadnant's previous owners were kin to the Tremayne family of Heligan House, renowned for the Lost Gardens. Anthony envisions the gardens as his heritage and has initiated confidential discussions about ensuring their preservation. "After I'm gone, I don't want all the work I've done since 1996 to be undone," he mused.

Despite having maintained the gardens for almost thirty years, Anthony still marvels at their unique beauty and mystical aura. He describes his journey up the driveway from the nondescript road as "entering a secret world".