National Botanic Gardens - prosperous future?
The National Botanic Gardens emerged from financial problems to assert itself firmly as one of the region's most prominent attractions, with support from Carmarthenshire Council and the Welsh Assembly.
What's your verdict on the Gardens - how do you rate it as an attraction? How do you think it can prosper? Do you agree that it should receive public money? Join the debate!
Email us or fill in this pop-up form and we'll add your views to the debate.
Cam from Llandeilo has sent in this update:
"I would like to add an update for 2005.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is still open, it never closed, and it is growing every day. Visiting is a positive experience with many new additions and improvements to the garden. There's more for kids, a better restaurant and the plants are really looking established in the Great Glasshouse and outdoors. Funding is still pitiful so the Gardens needs as much support as it can get.""I go nearly every weekend to take photos and enjoy it massively so I hope everyone can renew their faith in the place. Most of the garden comes into its own in midsummer although the Great Glasshouse is best in spring. Please lets support this place and show the Assembly what we actually want! Why let propaganda form your opinions?"
Edward and Olive Neal visited the garden in the Summer of 2004:
"My grandmother was born in Barmouth so off we, our children and grandchildren went to North Wales! On July 8 2004 our first short break in South Wales. The Botanical Gardens are fantastic especially the rough field by the entrance which has been left to nature - no insecticides for 60 years. The butterflies are wonderful. Gardens take many years to mature - hope we can all wait for this one. Best of luck with the funding etc."
Roger from Boncath has this suggestion:
"Grab the Bluestone Project - strike while the opportunity exists. While the debate runs on and on, as to whether the National Parks whould be allowed to build this much needed facility, why not offer the spare ground at the Botanic Gardens and transfer the project to Middleton? This would bring visitors from all over the UK, who would then bring much needed income. They cannot survive without adding a valid commercial base, the Bluestone project would bring that commercial foundation, which could ensure the survival of the Botanic Gardens of Wales."
Robin from Carmarthen says:
"I wrote last December to my AM - Christine Gwyther - about the Assembly's attitude to the NBGoW. Did I get a reply? Did I heck."
Gavin from Nevern says:
"Bear in mind: it isn't 'the Assembly' that have refused to fund the Gardens, it is Alan Pugh."Assembly Members have repeatedly asked for a free vote, or at least a debate in the Assembly, and have been refused. This is scandalous in a supposed democracy.
"I would suggest that anyone interested in supporting the Gardens write to their Assembly Member and ask that they also demand an open debate in the Assembly and a free vote on the issue."
Stephen from Trearddur Bay has this question:
"My wife, Rhiannon, and I visited the gardens last week, we discovered a display of a pharmacy of a bygone age - it turns out to be from a town very local to our home and we now wonder what will happen to the display if/when the gardens close?"
Polly from Bangor says:
"I haven't yet managed to visit the National Botanic Garden, but as I understand it the value is much more than purely commercial. It is educational and a wonderful addition to our heritage. Also, a site like this cannot reach its full potential in a short time - the planting must be allowed a chance to mature and develop. It seems to me that either the location or the lack of transport provision was a mistake, but I hope that money will somehow be found so that what should be a national treasure will not be allowed to vanish before it even reaches its best."
Tanya from York offers suport to the workers at the garden:
"I'm noticing that one or two letters suggest complacency by workers in the garden - things are not as tidy as they could be. This may well be true, but be aware that since beginning of November there have only been four gardeners working there, with support of a couple of students and some volunteers. Nothing like enough to maintain as well as anyone would prefer, let alone develop. Hopefully if the garden gets saved in the next few days, they will be able to take on much needed staff again and run it as it should be run - and to give people something to enjoy and for the gardeners to be proud of. It must be heart breaking for the gardeners not to be able to do what's needed. And be aware that anyone there still working at all at present is doing it for the love of the place - not money as contracts came to an end today (January 5)."
Irene from Newport lists a number of things that need to be improved in the Garden:
"With all that is good about the gardens there are some things which need to be put right. Roads to the gardens, the name should be National Botanic Gardens of Wales and not Middleton, and make more use of the gardens for weddings or private parties. And the Welsh Assembly should put up the money and not spend it on a building and now more land, just so they have a better place to work in and after all did we ask for it?"
Alan blames the lack of advertising:
"I knew that a botanical glass house was being millennium sponsored and to be built in South Wales. But until the financial problems arose, I didn't know it was open. What happened to common sense advertising? (It's probably run by the same person that decided to change the name to Middleton, thereby, making it easier to identify?) I visit RHS Wisley a minimum of 4 times a year, I also visit various National Trust Houses with Gardens on a regular basis. Eden is well worth a visit (and well advertised), although a 4 hour drive!"
Jillian in Paris has a number of suggestions for the Botanic Garden:
"Lovely garden, getting better every year. The entrance fee is too high and the garden is not well marketed nationally (nor internationally). Gardening holidays should be organised in the area - combining tickets for thr Gardens and say Aberglasney and perhaps Picton Castle, along with a booking service for local hotels and B & Bs. I visited the Gardens recently and there was a petition campaigning for the garden to be kept open - it was at knee level amongst leaflets and magazines. This, to me, was symbolic of the way the management does not really seem up to the job. I know that's easy to say but an enterprise such as this does not allow much mishandling. PS. Did anyone really expect anything else from the Welsh Assembly?
Karol from Milford Haven says the entrance costs are too high:
"I'm not surprised the gardens are doomed. A comparison of entry costs for other gardens around the UK show that the Gardens are almost twice as expensive! For an incomplete garden ... Associated cafes etc. also set up to rip off visitors. "
Anthony from Stockholm but originally from Wales says:
"I am not surprised by the problems facing the Botanic Gardens. It is a national treasure, admired around the world but as always the UK's ruling 'elite' are putting money before culture. If millions can be found for war why is it, as always, that equal amounts of money cannot be found for projects as the Botanic Gardens?"
Brian is angered by what Carwyn Jones said:
"I was appalled to read Carwyn Jones' comments regarding how the Botanic Gardens should have been located in Cardiff. If it had, there would be no problem regarding finance. Isn't it about time the Labour controlled Assembly delegates considered the rest of Wales? Look at the millions spent around Cardiff ie. landscaping, planting trees, £2 million a year subsidy to the new theatre in Cardiff Bay, wasting money on a new assembly building.""To conclude I would like our so called 'all Wales' Labour controlled Assembly to look away from Cardiff and cast an eye to the rest of Wales, and remember it was North and South Wales who voted you into office - not Cardiff, who voted against. If we had a new referendum on the confidence we have in you all, I think you would all be drawing your golden handshake the - the sooner the better!"
Steve of Llandysul argues that it is expensive to visit the Gardens:
"My wife and I would visit the gardens more often but the £7 entrance fee, per head, is too expensive. Clyne Gardens in Swansea, for example is far more attractive and interesting at most times of the year, and is free. I would not mind paying, perhaps £2.50 - £3 per head. Kew Gardens is larger, more established and cheaper to enter. In this, mainly farming area, where money is hard is to come by, the entrance fee is the key to the gardens failure."
Kate of Bristol says that the National Assembly had two options:
"My dad had been a volunteer at the gardens from the beginning. The Welsh Assembly have broken his heart. There are many like my dad who have been giving up their free time on a regular basis. The joy they got from it was knowing that they were investing in something their grandchildren could enjoy."The Welsh Assembly had two options: they fund the National Botanical Gardens like all other National Botanical Gardens are funded; they give up and let the garden go into public ownership, oh and by the way this means someone has to pay the £20 m lottery money back. I know which option sounded more sensible to me.
"Yes the publicity has been dire and maybe the management flawed, but to give up? It defies all logic whichever way you look at it. The gardens are not a tourist attraction first and foremost like Eden. It is a research establishment that is also interesting to visit. I hope to get the opportunity to visit it again and that all is not lost.
"And for those of you who resent taxpayers money bailing the gardens out, you already contribute to Kew as central government funds that annually. Wouldn't you rather pay for something in West Wales than London?"
Gavin of Nevern believes that the Assembly is to blame:
"Why is our Rural Affairs Minister trying to shift a rural national institution to Cardiff? Why is our Minister for Culture trying to turn a cultural, scientific and educational institution into just another tourist attraction?"This is not a failure of the Gardens - they have overspent yes, but not as badly as most public bodies seem to do. This is a failure of the Assembly, who are busily destroying the first national institution to be launched during their existance.
"If you want to support the Gardens, please come to the carol service at the Gardens this Friday (December 19) at 6 pm in the Gardens grounds. We are planning some kind of demonstration - possibly linking hands around the greenhouse. Holding candles was also proposed, so if you can bring some, please do!"
Brian of Newport calls for the Garden to be saved:
"It will be a great shame if the Botanical Garden is not saved for the nation. If necessary public funds should be used (as in done in England and Scotland) to ensure its continuing existance."
Andy of London blames the Assembly for the problems at the Garden:
"The garden is a treasure. The fact the Assembly have neither the foresight nor the intelligence to support such an asset is a tribute to whinging myopic small minded and mediocre bureaucrats. Sack the lot of them!"This is the biggest advert against devolution I can think of. Let London govern if you can't do it yourself!"
Phil wishes the Garden well:
"This life line is such good news, I visited the gardens two years ago and was so impressed by the whole set up. Perhaps the Camelot fat cats could dig a bit deeper in their own pockets and continue to support a project that they helped establish?"My best wishes go out to all those involved in helping save a national treasure."
Sylvie of Manchester says this:
The Garden asked the Welsh Assembly for £3m to cover the next six years. (That's half of what Edinburgh Botanic Garden get every year, and an eighth of what Kew gets every year). Why did Alan Pugh keep banging on about it costing £20m to take the Garden into public ownership? That wasn't what was being asked. I think he kept saying that to make the cost of saving the Garden seem outrageously exorbitant, (in the hope of swaying public support against it) when actually it was a very small amount for such a young national project (work it out - how much is that per person in Wales per year?)."PS. Please can people stop knocking the Trustees. I met them - they were really committed and genuine people, trying to do good."
Sue of Pembroke Dock has a number of comments to make:
"We visited the gardens recently and found several glaring indicators that at least are part of the problem - day to day management -1. Severe shortage of signs around the grounds. We found the cafe/restaurant by luck.
2. Spelling mistakes in the major display notices - no-one seems to have proof read them before completing the very expensive finished item.
3. Footpaths obstructed in many places by wheelbarrows, full to overflowing, but no gardeners in sight.
4. One gardener sighted later, but she was very slowly dead heading the planters set amongst the tables in the restaurant courtyard in the middle of the busy lunchtime period while smoking a rollie. Not ideal even in the open air.
"The overall impression we got was one of complacency."
Spencer from Nottingham says more time needs to be given:
"The bulk of money has already ben spent on this project. It should not now be allowed to fail after such short time. The lottery should have a committment to the projects they start."
Simon has been a member of the Garden since the start:
"The gardens are a national treasure and should be maintained as a centre of excellence and given appropriate funds to allow ongoing research and development. It should never have been allowed in the planning stages that income could only have been generated from visitor numbers. "Kew Gardens receives £20 million a year. Our National Botanic Garden should be cared for by the Assembly - they can afford £47 million of our money for a new assembly building that is not needed. Whereas they appear not to be at all concerned to let this splendid enterprise wither. A shameful situation and our assembly ministers should be castigated for their appalling behaviour.
"It is vital that a rescue plan is devised immediately.
"I have been member of the gardens since the beginning and am proud and delighted to visit frequently.
"Llanarthne am byth, cymru am byth."
David from Reynoldston supports the gardens:
"Having visited the gardens since they opened I was looking forward to the flourishing of a major attraction. The planting, developing and the new attractions such as the double walled garden added to the attractions and the historical associations. It has failed. I would be appalled to see the gardens close, not least because of the Foster dome. But the feeling of the place now, albeit late autumn, is lacklustre with no drive for rejuvination and the very poor marketing, it is ensuring a descending spiral which is tragic. The gardens are a Welsh institution albeit a young one, they should be funded by the Assembly rather than relying on public or private contributions or Carmarthen. As said before, it needs a driven focused individual to get it out of the mess, but most of all it needs the support of Wales and that means the Assembly, caring about Wales."
Catherine from Pembrokeshire believes the garden has an identity crisis:
"I visited the Botanic Garden three years ago, and whilst I really enjoyed the visit, having been trained in horticulture I felt that it has an identity crisis. It was trying to be educational, environmental, historical, horticultural and a tourist attraction. It should have been aimed at tourists, as it was ideally suited on the main route to other tourist locations. Then when it had decided what it was going to be and then diversified, it would have been more successful. Such a shame."
2004 Archive of comments relating to the Gardens' financial problems.
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