The Vale of Glamorgan’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Katherine Kemp, welcomed over 50 guests to the opening of the new glasshouses at Dyffryn Gardens on Saturday 2 July.
Construction of the glasshouse is the last part of a fourteen-year restoration programme of the gardens which has been supported by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund of £6.15m. This investment has seen the gardens transformed and visitor numbers have risen from a low point of just 8,000 to the current annual attendance of 55,000.
The Deputy Mayor commented: ‘This is an exciting time for Dyffryn and the glasshouses will be a great asset to the Vale for both its residents and visitors.’ She went on to thank all those involved in bringing the project to fruition and after opening the glasshouse invited guests to view the two new botanical collections.
The central section has a substantial mature cacti collection, relocated from North Yorkshire from a private collector. The orchid house has a plant collection reflecting those introduced in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Later in the year the west section will be planted as a vinery.
The glasshouse is open every day from 10am to 5.30pm in the summer. Winter closing is slightly earlier at 3.30pm. More information about Dyffryn Gardens can be found online here.
More information
- Originally there was a display timber glasshouse in the upper walled garden and smaller one in the lower garden used by the Cory Family from 1891 through to 1936 – at some point, possibly late 1940s, these were taken down.
- A new timber glasshouse, smaller in structure was then built on nearly the same footprint by the Glamorgan Authorities. An additional glasshouse was also built along the lower garden wall and then later along the bothies.
- These were in poor structural condition in the 1990s and replacement of the larger display range was put forward for lottery funding in the phase 1 bid.
- In 1999 the glasshouses were closed to the public and demolished in 2001
- The new glasshouse is made of powder coated aluminium with a steel frame and has computer controlled venting and heating. The rainwater is collected from the roof into tanks within the glasshouse to water the plants, any over flow goes into the dipping pool in the walled garden
- Design, construction and planting costs circa £475,000
