The partial remains of formal, informal and woodland gardens lie on high ground overlooking Colwyn Bay. They occupy a spectacular site at the southern edge of the town, with extensive views from the highest part on the western side over the bay and westwards. The gardens were laid out by Thomas Mawson for Dr Walter Whitehead, a Manchester surgeon, and were made in 1898-99, along with gatehouse, outbuildings and glasshouses, but the planned grand mansion was never built.

A drawing of the proposed layout of the gardens by Thomas Mawson in his 'The Art and Craft of Garden Making' shows formal compartments to the south and east of the house, laid out with simple rectilinear beds, walls, and glasshouse ranges. Since 1963 the gardens have been home to the Welsh Mountain Zoo, and have been overlain by zoo structures, particularly in the upper formal part, where many animal and bird cages have been built, and a car park made on the western side. However, enough of the fabric remains to be able to discern the general layout. Some of the paths, terraces, walls, and all the glasshouses remain. The gatehouse, outbuildings and formal gardens occupy a high plateau in the south-western part of the garden. The original glasshouse lies on the east side of the east range of outbuildings. To the east and north the ground drops steeply, and this area is occupied by extensive informal woodland of mixed deciduous and coniferous trees, with some tall pines, much of it is undisturbed by zoo installations. The woodland was developed with walks accessed from the two drives, and the three main existing paths are by Mawson. Some of the nature trail paths were made by the zoo.

The gardens were altered after Whitehead's day, in particular in the 1930s, when the extensive rockery garden was made. A water garden, with a small artificial stream dropping through a series of pools lies near the north end. It has much limestone rockwork, with a small stone bridge near the top. A pond was also built near the present main entrance but has now gone.

Sources:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey (ref: PGW(Gd)61(CON)).
Ordnance Survey second edition 25-inch map: sheet Denbighshire III.7 (1900).

RCAHMW, 3 July 2022

Cofnod Safle

Welsh Mountain Zoo, Flagstaff Garden, Colwyn Bay