Bodnant

  To Wales yesterday where my daughter and family were staying with her mother-in-law who lives near Colwyn Bay. The weather wasn't great but we spent the morning at what must be one of the most beautiful gardens in Britain, Bodnant. I've been there in the spring (when the amazing Laburnam Arch is in flower and visitors come from all over the world to see it) and in the autumn, but never before at this time of year. The garden is huge, and sweeps down through a fabulously planted valley to a most lovely little river which plunges over a waterfall and dashes over rocks complete with stepping stones, ferns and moss. Gorgeous. The borders were full of late summer colour, reds and oranges and yellows, and many roses were still in flower. My two grandsons George (11) and Cai (5, and what a poser) were in heaven -- in this picture they are standing at the base of a huge sequoia, of which there are a number, all planted in the 1880s. We had lunch in the lovely town of Conwy, which has a massive medieval castle, a very pretty harbour, and lots of delightful shops. Amazingly the sun came out and we were able to sit on a wall by the sea eating our ice-creams.