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Wales Online
Wales Online
Entertainment
Caitlin O'Sullivan

The gorgeous secret garden you can visit for free in Wales because it would be 'selfish' not to share it

Graeme and Ann Young have been caring for their gorgeous, tranquil little slice of Wales for 40 years and welcoming visitors for 25 of them - but you've probably never been there or even heard of it.

The location is like a secret garden, with wildflowers, an arboretum, and a woodland of bluebells.

Only seven miles from Carmarthen, the 15 acres have become a special sanctuary for Graeme and Ann.

Picturesque and peaceful, the couple hope the paradise will relax visitors and help them escape the technological world of today.

And they are keen to share it, as long as you ring ahead.

They might even join you for tea and biscuits.

Graeme and Ann Young amongst the bluebells (www.adrianwhitephotography.co.uk)
Graeme Young said he feels' 'fortunate' to be living there (www.adrianwhitephotography.co.uk)
A tranquil little slice of Wales (Ryan Thomas Photography)

The gorgeous holiday let with a colourful past of hoisting sailors from shipwrecks  

Mr Young said: "We feel so fortunate to be living here, and we want to share it with people.

"It's so beautiful, it would be selfish to keep it to ourselves.

"We hope that it can provide an escape from mobile phones, and help people relax."

Graeme and Ann have put a lot of work into their little corner of the world - Pantyllyn Farm in Blancoed.

When they first moved there, the land was bare, and many of the trees were planted by them.

They were farmers, growing hay, and Ann was a teacher as well. Both are now retired.

For Ann, their now-paradise was not love at first sight.

"It was so bare, I didn't like it at all, but we've made it home," she said.

She knows every single name of the plants we pass on the trail, and it's noticeable how proud she is of the lush space.

People know about Pantyllyn by word of mouth (www.adrianwhitephotography.co.uk)
The main house (Ryan Thomas Photography)
A quiet place to sit (Ryan Thomas Photography)

Their wildflower field was once used for growing hay, but now Graeme proudly states it's a 'real' wildflower field.

"These days you can buy seed packets with wildflowers in them, but this field is completely natural.

"We're letting the flowers return on their own.

"You can see the colours change from one day to another, it'll go from being a sea of yellow, to purple."

Wheelchair swing set for Neath Port Talbot playground  

The woodland has remained such a secret because Graeme and Ann advertise by word-of-mouth, and occasionally posters in a few local shops in Carmarthen.

A path through the garden (www.adrianwhitephotography.co.uk)
It's full of little curiosities (Ryan Thomas Photography)
There are bluebells everywhere this time of year (Ryan Thomas Photography)
...literally everywhere (Ryan Thomas Photography)
It's a place you could easily lose yourself in (Ryan Thomas Photography)

"We're not really technology people," admitted Graeme.

"We have some families coming back again and again, but we're only open for some of the year when the bluebells are out.

"One young family came last year so they could introduce their child to nature.

"It can be quite stressful sometimes, we're not young so arranging people to come can be difficult.

"We prefer people to visit when we're around.

"This isn't a business, we have our own lives to lead which is why it's best to call ahead."

The Full Blue Moon will appear this week but it won't be visible again for another two years  

Along the paths of their 15 acre garden, part of the 35 acre-farm, Graeme and Ann have small painted signs to keep their guests on the trail, and wooden benches to rest on.

(www.adrianwhitephotography.co.uk)
The donations pot and visitors book (Ryan Thomas Photography)
You can join the owners for a cup of tea and biscuits (Ryan Thomas Photography)

Their woods are teeming with wildlife, from birds nesting, to ponds thick with tadpoles.

Whilst the bluebells are fading, the garden is still open for bookings.

On less busy days the couple, who are in their 70s and 80s, are happy to invite visitors in for a cuppa and occasionally even biscuits.

They welcome donations which are distributed to their local church in Abernant and Water Aid.

If you'd like to visit - call 01267 281478.

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