Contemplation on Natures Beauty 14 May 2009

 Recently I went for a walk through the nearby Clyne Gardens and reminisced about the many times I came here with Scotty my little dog. I usually park at the top gate and come in through the entrance by the Small Dogs Graves that commemorate the Admiral’s family pets. 

 

 Algernon “’The Admiral” inherited the estate from his uncle William Graham Vivian, the millionaire of Clyne, who purchased ‘Clyne Castle‘  in 1860 and lavished time and money on it to reflect his wealth. I walk down beside the bluebell wood and the wild flower meadows, through blooms of Pieris, Enkianthus and Rhododendrons, towering Monterey Pine ‘Pinus radiata’, and past the Gazebo, built as a lookout for the Admiral to view the incoming ships as they entered Swansea Bay. I sometimes walk past The Italian Bridge, a one time water feature near the Castle that now serves as a student residence. Other times I go over the Japanese Bridge, painted red on the Admiral’s whim and follow the path along the babbling stream which rises in Clyne Common, travels under the Japanese Bridge and through the Gardens to join the sea at Blackpill.  That’s where I usually head for, the bottom gate that opens to Blackpill and across the road to the sea front. There’s a picturesque cottage by the gate that I believe is owned or at least lived in by the head gardner. Sometime I walk out and cross the road to the sea front but more often I turn round at that point and make my way back, this time through the voluptuous Azalea Gardens, past the extensive bog garden, home to giant Elephant Rhubarb and American skunk cabbage. I pass little ponds with Candelabra Primulas, Hostas, Rogersias and Siberian iris growing near by. On this side of the garden there is small tower, a folly, originally built by the Admiral to view his collection of Rhododendrons, and  sea view.  Near by is Clyne Chapel built by William Graham Vivian in 1908.  Beneath it, in a private vault, Graham Vivian, his sister Dulcie and the Admiral are buried. This is where I attended my cousin Rachel’s wedding. Whether in sunshine or rain the gardens are always fascinating and beautiful. Birds sing amongst the branches of it’s many trees along with families of squirrels occasionally glimpsed darting across the maize of paths. Scotty died in 2000. In his memory I bought three long stemmed red roses and threw them into the streams that he loved to paddle in so much.