By Suzanne Jordan

GREEN-fingered and garden loving tourists are in for a treat.

A “spectacular” 16-day festival of gardens is being staged across North Wales. Among the “stars” of the event are Bodrhyddan Hall in Rhuddlan, Bodnant Garden in the Conwy Valley, Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Plas Newydd near Llanfair PG,  Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens in Menai Bridge, Treborth Botanic Garden in Bangor and Crug Farm Plants in Caernarfon.

The festival, which is in its second year, is being supported by the Welsh Government and is organised by North Wales Tourism.

A “packed” programme has been put together for the festival. Events range from behind the scene guided tours and photography competitions to a squirrel watch and a vintage car rally.

The festival will officially launch at Plas Tan y Bwlch gardens, near Maentwrog, on Saturday by Gardener’s Question Time chairman and former TV weatherman Peter Gibbs.

The weatherman said: “A lot of people, including gardeners, don’t realise how many different gardens there are in North Wales. Apart from the large, well known National Trust ones there are also lots of fantastic smaller gardens and without this sort of festival they wouldn’t get noticed by the kind of people who would really enjoy them.

“It’s a great honour to be invited to open the festival and I’m really looking forward to what should be a memorable occasion in a wonderful part of the world.”

North Wales Tourism managing director Jim Jones added: “North Wales has some of the most beautiful gardens in the UK and this event is all about showing them off to as many people as possible.”   

More than 100 “unique” events are planned over the 16 days of the festival at gardens including musical performances, orienteering sessions, treasure hunts, bug hunts, gardening lectures, family treasure hunts, children’s trails and plant sales.

For more information, visit www.gardensnorthwales.co.uk. The Festival runs from Saturday until Sunday, June 11.