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Gelli Aur | Golden Grove
Country Park
Western Cedar
Monterey Pine
Canopy
Western Cedar
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The Arboretum
The Golden Grove Arboretum is one of Wales’s most remarkable historic tree collections. Created in the mid-19th century for the Earls of Cawdor, it reflects a golden age of Victorian plant exploration, when rare and exotic trees were brought back from across the world to estates such as Golden Grove. It was planted in the 1860s by the Cawdor’s Head Gardener, John Hill (pictured).
Many of those early plantings remain today, forming a unique 10-acre landscape of extraordinary botanical value. Here, visitors can encounter some of the world’s most iconic trees: Coast Redwoods, Giant Sequoias, Douglas Firs and ancient Sweet Chestnuts—several recognised as national and county champions for their size, age or rarity.
This landscape was carefully designed, with sweeping terraces, circular walks, a limestone seat and ha-ha, framing views across to the mansion, the Towy Valley and Dinefwr Castle. Despite losses to storms and time, the structure and spirit of the original arboretum still survive.
Key Highlights
• Over 110 specimen trees from around the world
• 20+ Champion trees, including national and Welsh records
• All three of the world’s tallest tree species: Giant Sequoia, Coast Redwood and Dawn Redwood
• Historic veterans from the early 1700s and earlier
Golden Grove Arboretum is not a relic of the past—it's a living landscape still growing, evolving and teaching us about nature, time and our responsibility to care for it
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