The National Botanic Garden of Wales.

 

A few weeks ago, we visited the National Botanic Garden of Wales. To be frank, on a damp and gloomy day, I wasn’t expecting that much but ended up wanting more and pencilling in further visits, but with the proviso – don’t be suckered by ‘Gift Aid.’ *

The bio dome alone is pretty spectacular, being the largest single spanned glasshouse in the world. The climate within is geared to plants from the Mediterranean, California, Peru, Majorca and Australia. 

Strangely though, I found that less impressive than the 560 acres of parkland surrounding it. Walking through it you seamlessly entered an C18th landscape and the world of  Sir William Paxton. 

The estate was famous for its necklace of engineered lakes, still in evidence today

Present day photos ——and 1815 paintings by Thomas Horner

Meadow land and William Paxton's  three acre double-walled garden 

Before the enterprising William Paxton, the future National Botanic Garden of Wales had been part of the Middleton estate. Their house, Middleton Hall, must have looked quite imposing. It had for example 17 hearths as indicated by the Hearth Tax records of 1670. 

The Middletons, like Paxton who succeeded them, derived much of their wealth from the East India Company and India in general. It is no surprise that in the present climate of self-abnegation this has to be apologised for. The Botanic Garden website is particularly mealy-mouthed going on about the ‘horrendous’ injustices visited upon the innocent. This despite the fact that we merely usurped previous conquerors like the Mughals or equally rapacious indigenous princes. And it was not entirely cost free whether in terms of the humble soldier on both sides, or indeed the three Middleton brothers who died on their way home from India.

 Whether we—or indeed Indians—would now feel more comfortable if the French had beaten us to it is open to debate. 

 

Paxton's new Middleton Hall painted by the artist Thomas Horner

 There are other things that cut across the grain of modern opinion. In the 1802 elections William Paxton spent £15,000 in order to secure his election: a total of 1107 breakfasts, 36,901 dinners, 6842 suppers, 25,275 gallons of ale and porter, 11,074 bottles of spirits, 8879 bottles of porter, 4064 bottles of sherry, 509 bottles of cider, £18. 18 shillings worth of milk punch, £54 worth of mulled wine, and 4,521 instances of horse hire. He lost the election, but the electorate had a bloody good time. A far superior way of doing things in my opinion.

Blasted oak and Paxton's Tower in the far distance 

And again, Paxton Tower can be seen on the horizon

Despite this princely expenditure William Paxton had no trouble finding the money for his 36-foot-high three-sided gothic tower. Such follies built to be seen were then an essential feature of most grand estates, this particular one built in honour of Nelson, killed in the Battle of Trafalgar. Originally called Nelson’s Tower, engraved tables commemorating his victory in English, Welsh and Latin were placed on each side of the tower. 

So much to learn. A single lifespan is not enough; three or four perhaps might fit the bill, then as well as history, I’d be able to study geology, a growing passion but one too late to develop, and botany. The latter exemplified in the final pictures below: a tree covered by fungi and the attendant information that follows.

*And one more thing to learn. On buying an entry ticket you’ll be asked if you want to sign up for ‘Gift Aid’. In Britain this is a way for charities to gain exemption from tax and is normally cost free to the individual ie the government reimburses the charity of any tax due on the transaction. In this case however it’s the individual that pays— a ten percent addition to the original price. If they were honest and asked for a ten percent tip from the start I know what my answer would have been. There are insufficient lifespans to erase my miserly streak.