Castle country

A day trip to… Powis Castle and Garden

Powis Castle, a medieval fortress built in the 13th Century, sits high on a rock above its world-famous garden in Welshpool.

Mother and child in the Fountain Garden, Powis Castle | ©National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

View from the Wilderness of Powis Castle | ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

Home to rulers of Powys, destroyed by Welsh Princes and restored by new occupiers, it was passed down through generations of Herberts from the late 1500’s, who all commissioned artists and architects to bring their ambitions and visions for Powis to life. Much of their work can still be seen today, including Edward Herbert’s Elizabethan Long Gallery and Violet Herbert’s Formal Garden.

Over 400 years, the castle and garden were beautifully transformed, creating one of the most noble residences in North and Mid Wales. Cared for by the National Trust Cymru since 1952, its now home to a superb collection of art, statues, furniture, and textiles, as well as one of the UK’s most significant collections of South Asian objects, housed in the

Clive Museum.

Below Powis Castle lies a garden steeped in history. Considered one of the finest surviving examples of its kind,

dancing statues lead you along Italianate terraces, and grand staircases show you the way to colourful herbaceous borders and stretches of impeccably mowed lawns.

The 30ft high, cloud-like yew trees spill over the terraces and are a real showstopper. Surviving changes in style, design, and fashion over hundreds of years, today these unique and character filled topiary hedges are carefully trimmed by a

team of dedicated gardeners every autumn.

Don’t miss

As spring edges towards summer, don’t miss the elegant apple blossom in the Formal Garden, planted by Violet Herbert, Countess of Powis, in her efforts to transform the garden into ‘one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, in England and Wales’. Big and blousy rhododendrons come to life in the Formal Woodland and the 300-year-old wisteria drapes its pea-like flowers over the Aviary Terrace. This charming

climber has wowed Powis’ visitors for decades.

Things to see and do

There’s a little bit of something for everyone this summer. Enjoy an ice cream while you wander the garden and find cool shade in the castle. From Saturday 23rd July to

Wednesday 31st August, ‘come out and play’ with all the family. Enjoy self-led traditional sports and games activities on the Great Lawn, including badminton, cricket and croquet.

For the film lovers out there, enjoy not one, not two, but three

outdoor cinema experiences in the magnificent grounds of

Powis Castle and Garden. Mamma Mia brings the showbiz on Friday 2nd September, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Singalong to The Greatest Showman on Saturday 3rd September and, finally, on Sunday 4th September, West Side Story will be

shown under the stars. Booking is essential. n

Powis Castle and Garden is open daily in the spring and summer months and closes at 5pm. Please check opening times before travelling, as they are subject to change. @ntpowiscastle www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle-and-garden

@NTWales