Well, April came and went quickly and now it;s the middle of May and Katie is wondering whether to enter Llandudno in Bloom again this year or not.  So, I wondered whether this month's blog should be a top 10 gardening tips or just the top 10 gardens to visit and thus avoid doing your own garden.  After much deliberation, it's both!

Katie and Deborah's top 10 gardening tips.
1. Hoe you borders - we especially like this one as we don't have any!
2. Start mowing the lawn weekly - love this one as ours gets a good brush occasionally as we have lazy lawn!
3. Shade the greenhouse to prevent plants getting scorch. I am just loving these 10 things to do - as we don't have a greenhouse either!  If it's not as sunny where you are as it is here then just open the greenhouse door on warm days.
4.  Plant out summer bedding.  My sheets go to the laundrette so that's that bedding taken care of and as our garden is low maintenance there's very little to replant.  Most comes back year after year.  But Katie did plant the pots a few weeks ago.
5. Apparently, we should have pruned our spring flowering shrubs - Katie says she's done this and she check for nesting birds before doing it
6.  Sit back with a nice cuppa  (panad in Welsh) and enjoy Katie's hard work.  My favourite top gardening tip.  I notice many of our guests at The Hilary enjoy this activity too.
7. Check the BBQ is ready - checked ours and it wasn't so tried one of those disposable ones at Easter - what a laugh and no cleaning up afterwards.  First time I'd ever BBQed wearing goggles though - it was a tad smoky.
8. Ooh apparently, if you're growing tomatoes you should start checking for side shoots and pinch them out.  We're not so we haven't.
9. Make sure you've divided/thinned out any areas of spring flowering bulbs that are getting too clumpy
10. Sit back with a nice cuppa  (panad in Welsh) and enjoy Katie's hard work.  It's essential to repeat this step as many times as you are comfortable with.  If it does get too repetitive, swap the panad for something long and cool

Katie and Deborah's top North Wales Gardens To Visit
For such a small place we have a lot of everything in Wales and gardens is one of them: National Trust Gardens, famous gardens, award winning gardens.There are many of these beautiful gardens within easy travelling distance of our Llandudno guest house.

Llandudno happily boasts Happy Valley and Haulfre Gardens as well as the Great Orme Country Park.  Not only are they all beautiful and individual but they are free!










Plas Newydd is home to the Marquess of Anglesey and the biggest collection of the work of Rex Whistler. The gardens are based on a Henry Repton design.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-plasnewydd


The world famous Bodnant Garden - 80 acres with views of the River Conwy and Snowdonia. Bodnant Garden is home to plant species from all over the world, a 55 metre-long laburnum arch and, at an amazing 47 metres high, the UK’s tallest California Redwood. Plus another 18 record-breaking trees for good measure. Whenever you visit, Bodnant Garden is truly magnificent.
http://www.bodnantgarden.co.uk   

Erddig, Wrexham.. The Grade I listed gardens at Erddig were landscaped by William Eames in the late 1700s. Today, it’s one of the most important surviving 18th century gardens in the UK and has over 13 miles of footpaths.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-erddig

Gwydir Castle - Garden Grade 1 listed status.  An important example of the formal Renaissance garden of the Tudor and Stuart periods. The sweeping views and formal vistas make it one of the most romantic gardens in Wales.
http://www.gwydircastle.co.uk

Bodelwyddan Castle is set in 260 acres of parkland and formal garden originally designed by Thomas Mawson in 1910. There's a maze too.
http://www.bodelwyddan-castle.co.uk

Portmeirion was opened in 1926, but the gardens are much older than this. Conifers, Wellingtonia and Himalayan Firs from the mid -1800s are still here. Plus many new additions and probably the largest willow-like Maytenus Boaria in the UK.  When Sir Clough William-Ellis busy at Portmeirion, Plas Brondanw took up all his spare time.  Climb the stairs of the lookout tower for one of the best views around.
http://www.portmeirion-village.com

Bodrhyddan's historic gardens covering 8 acres include a formal Victorian parterre designed by W.A Nesfield.  http://www.bodrhydda.co.uk

This list is by no means exhaustive - it's just a few of our favourites.  Also take a look at the NGS, Gardens Open For Charity, website
http://www.ngs.org.uk

After a day visiting these beautiful gardens why not enjoy a nice cup of tea in The Hilary's award winning garden.  Dead heading and weeding are most appreciated!  Guests often take cuttings and seeds from The Hilary's garden - after asking first, of course!  In fact, we now have a cutting swapping service and have several plants that started life in guests gardens that are now doing very well at The Hilary.

Happy Gardening
Hwyl fawr
Deborah

Pasg Hapus i bawb - Happy Easter to all

There's loads happening in Llandudno over the next few weeks  - as always. It's one of the busiest places in Wales that's for sure.

Next weekend is the Town Twinning Visit from Wormhout so there will be a lot of French visitors in town.  We're a 'host family' again.  It will be really nice to meet the couple on Friday evening.

The following weekend, which is the first weekend in May, is a  a very busy weekend indeed as we have Alice Day, the Victorian Extravaganza and the Transport Festival. 

Llandudno's Alice Day May 2012 when NIcol was Alice.  This year it will be Katie as Alice overseeing the tea party.

http://www.llantransfest.co.uk/

http://www.victorian-extravaganza.com/

Katie and I have made a few changes and a few additions to our multi-award winning garden.  We are wondering whether or not to enter Llandudno In Bloom again this year.  Mind you, if not we'll have to find something to put on the mantle piece in place of the massive trophy we keep winning!

The last Saturday in May sees the end of Katie's year as Miss Alice.  She gets to do a week longer than usual so will accompany the new Mayor for the first week of his time as Mayor.  She;s quite pleased about the extra week as it means she will be Alice at Llandudno's 2nd Air Show.  Last year, the Air Show was her first duty - it was the day she became Alice

A number of new exhibitions opened at MOStyn last week and will run through the spring and part of the summer.  Definitley worth a visit.

There's so much going on that if I list anyone more this could turn into the longest blog ever!  Drop me a line if you want to know about any particular events, activities or what's going on when.

Hwyl fawr
Deborah
 info@the-hilary.co.uk

At last...!

I just found the first blog I ever wrote but never published.  Having read it I don't know why I didnt publish it - so here it goes 2 years late!

For months, if not years to be honest, friends and guests have been asking me to write a blog - 'but you must' , 'you do so much',  'we want to hear all about it' - so I finally started it a

This instalment is about our wonderful 9 year old daughter Nicol - or as she is now formally known in Llandudno - Miss Alice.    Every year a competition is held by Llandudno Town Council to select Llandudno’s Miss Alice. The duties of Miss Alice include public appearances at events held during the summer months, accompanying the Mayor on engagements such as hospital visits and taking part in events organised by Llandudno Town Council such as the Llandudno Fireworks and the Christmas Parade.

'Alice' with her Mayor and Mayoress at St Tudno's Church on the Great Orme

Alice Liddell was the little girl who was the inspiration for Lewis Carroll to tell his classic stories, Alice in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. In the Easter of 1861 her family came to Llandudno to spend a holiday. Alice was the second of the five daughters of the Very Revd Dr Henry Liddell, Dean of Christ Church Oxford and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll’s real name) taught mathematics at Christ Church College at Oxford University.

'Alice' at Christ Church, Oxford

Llandudno has always been very proud of its ‘Alice Connection’. In 1933 the Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George, the former Prime Minister and MP for Caernarfon visited Llandudno to unveil the famous "White Rabbit" memorial. This wonderful carved marble sculpture is situated at the end of the West Shore model boating lake.

There is also an ‘Alice Trail’ at Happy Valley on the slopes of The Great Orme. Sculptor Reece Ingram created the Alice Trail through the pine woods along the edges of the grassy park area. The sculptures in oak denote different aspects and characters from the Alice in Wonderland stories Alice's Father purchased a piece of land and had a house built on Llandudno's beautiful West Shore. The family called the house Penmorfa and owned it for 11 years. Alice spent the summers of her childhood here until the house was sold in August 1872.

'Alice' being arrested!

Nicol's year as Alice is up on 26th May.  She's actually getting a week longer than most as the competition for the new Alice has been put back a week as the Town Council believe that the amount of interest Nicol has generated could lead to  bumper applications!

Nicol has had an mazing year - she says it started as a dream - she never expected to win.  Last weekend she was in Daresbury, Lewis Carroll's birth place, had lunch with the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, went behind the scenes and into the archives at the National Media Centre in Bradford and handled original Charles Dodgson photographs.  She says her most memorable duty was attending a party for a group of children visiting from Chernobyl and specifically that these children are so ill and have so little and yet are so happy and laugh so much.  A lesson, perhaps, for us all to learn.



So that's it Alice and Llandudno  my first blog that never got published.  In my next blog I'll tell you about Katie, our younger daughter who is 9 years old and is currently Llandudno's Miss Alice! I'll introduce  Llandudno's Alice Trail and my movie debut
Thanks for reading and Hwyl fawr
Deborah

Hello. Long time no see. We've had technical difficulties (understatement) but I am back and have lots to tell you but I shan't brain dump in one mega blog, I shall take my time 

Many of our visitors are regulars to Llandudno but it's still surprising how many of our hidden treasures they are yet to visit.  A favourite of mine is the Great Orme Copper Mine.

Amazing and awe inspiring don't even come near. 
It's the world's largest bronze age copper mine.  
Copper to make 10 million axe heads was mined there.  
No body knew it was there until the council wanted to build a car park.   

 I could rave on and on about it but it's possibly best to tag their website below and say next time you are in Llandudno it's a must.

http://www.greatormemines.info/

They are have a website dedicated to the 'the "diggers" of the Great Orme Exploration Society Limited past and present. It is intended to highlight their "activities, discoveries and generally show off what actually holds the Great Orme up" (to quote the diggers .

http://www.goes.org.uk/



There's also library there so one cna have a read and a panad (welsh for cuppa!) and if you buy any of the second hand books the money goes to fund the explorations.  There's also a jewellers.!

I have visited 3 times over the past few years and am always impressed

Hope to see you soon at The Hilary
Hwyl fawr
Deborah

I'm Back.....

I'm Back - from outer space?  NO just from being inundated with summer goings on.  The school holidays have 2 weeks left, the Bank Holiday is nearly here and the sun is shining. Life is good at The Hilary.

I know many of our regulars come to visit once the school holidays are over so September and October are busy months.  We have some vacancies from 4th September onwards. Although some weeks are busier than others. So fingers crossed we can fit everyone in.

Business is good and we're at that time of the year when we're drawing up the list of big jobs for the winter - or should I say when i am drawing up Colin's list of big jobs for the winter.  We're looking at new bathrooms as well as decorating rooms this year.  So he's going to be busy!

The Llandudno- Daffodil of Wales initiative is well underway and we're on target for our first 50 000 bulbs to be planted this autumn.  Conwy Council are so impressed with us that they're hoping to arrange a special autumn daffodil fun day at Happy Valley.
One of the things we'll be doing is opening a Field of Hopes in conjunction with Marie Curie Cancer Care.  This is a piece of allotted gardens where anyone may come and plant spring flowering bulbs in memory of a loved one.  The Council will continue to mow the area which is why the bulbs are to be spring flowering ones and so each year the bulbs will flower again.  We're so proud to have been allocated this land for our Field of Hopes.    

The Olympic F|lame visited the daffometer and
Squad gymnasts gave a  demonstration

Well, that's the door bell and hopefully is our last check in of the day arriving.
Bye for now  and take care.
Deborah

The Slugs Must Not Win!

We don't use chemicals inside The Hilary as our cleaning is the chemical free Enjo system and I don't use them in the garden either but I am running out of anti-slug remedies:  Egg shells - don't work, cotton wool - doesn't work - beer in a slug trap - just attracts more of them and they eat everything on route to the beer! The little and not so little blighters even go across the gravel and sand  - it has now been suggested that we try hair! I might have to speak to a close friend who's a hair dresser as there's no way I'm shaving by head just to save our garden - award winning as it may be.  Until then, I am still going out very night with my bucket and collecting over 100 a night.  You'd think after weeks of this the number would be going down - but, no, they must reproduce as if there's no tomorrow.

Had a lovely dinner at the St Tudno last week and I've got some 10% off vouchers for our guests to enjoy afternoon tea or dinner there.

Katie was 8 on Monday - talk about blink and time moves on - these 8 years have gone so fast - my baby -8 - still can't believe it.  She had a Victorian tea party and cookery lesson for her birthday. 12 lovely little girls and several 'let's get into the theme of it' adults attended!

 Katie even made her own cake! Next milestone is Nicol being 10 in October - although Colin is 45 today - my toy boy!

I'm listening to our local radio station Tudno FM while working this afternoon - more singing along and toe tapping that work being done as you can imagine.

Off to see the George Formby Players tonight at the aeroplane that's parked on Llandudno prom! Very
Seaside! 


 Last night was a spot of skim boarding at West Shore - or at least Nicol and Katie skim boarding as Col and I shouted lots of encouragement from the shore line!

We'll be Roman's again on Sunday at Segontium - but off out now to enjoy the sunshine - ignore the weather man  -it is not raining all over Wales - at least not in Llandudno it's not!


Hwyl Fawr
Bye for now from The Hilary Guest Hosue in Llandudno
Deborah

Time Flies

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun or is it when you are so busy you are the proverbial headless chicken?  Either way you way have worked out we've been busy.  Between cleaning the gutters at our daughters' school during which the worse rain shower I've ever experienced decided to take place, running the wonderful  Hilary Guest House , being Mum to the 2 most amazing daughters, eating out with Divas Who Dine, organising events for Llandudno Daffodil Capital of Wales.............you've got it there's a lot going on.

So my highlights of this last week?  Planning Katie's 8th birthday party.  Katie and 11 friends are having a cookery lesson.  In fact, they are going to prepare their own birthday tea party - and hopefully do all the washing up afterwards. Complete with caps and aprons to make it even more fun!

Inventing a cocktail or at least having one invented for me!  The Pink Daffodil is new and exclusive - its ingredients are yummy and a secret and it's especially for the Llandudno Daffodil Capital of Wales fund raising disco I'm organising for September 28th 2012.  It's at The Imperial Hotel, Llandudno - don't miss it!

This coming week I am really looking forward to Sunday when to go to Venue Cymru to see 'The Event' which Nicol is in.  This is part of the Olympic celebrations and is being filmed especially for it.  300 welsh gymnasts and our daughter earned her place to be one of them - what an experience.that will be for her. The gymnasts are training so hard for this  - in addition to the usual 4 times a week training they do.  I'll let you know how it goes next week.