Plas-yn-rhiw is a small early seventeenth-century manor house, with possible earlier origins (nprn 16767), located to the north-east of the village of Rhiw. It is set within a small wooded park overlooking Porth Neigwl (700204), and is surrounded by small enclosed garden areas, essentially an ornamental plantsman's garden. The garden owes its survival largely to the Keating sisters who purchased the estate in 1939 before eventually donating it to the National Trust.

The garden is unusual in that it combines an inward-looking, intimate atmosphere with a spectacular view over the huge sweep of Porth Neigwl to the north-east, best appreciated from the level, semicircular lawn in front of the house, the largest clear open space around it.The garden is in four main areas: the old stable-yard, level and now partly lawn, partly shrub borders; the main entrance path and wide borders flanking it; Lady Strickland's Garden, a small, enclosed, formal area, and the lawn above it; and the largest area, the main garden to the south. The character of each is different though of similar style. The plantings are mainly of ornamental flowering shrubs in wide beds and borders, mixed with many varieties of hardy perennials, and ornamental trees here and there to give height. In Lady Strickland's Garden and the main, southern, garden area there are box hedges defining every bed and path, giving a more rigid structure without suppressing the riot of plants, and make the garden formal. In the two more northerly areas hedges are absent and less formal. Paths, both straight and curved have the effect of offering an ever-changing scene, with new groups of plants to appreciate around every curve or corner.

The kitchen garden consists of one of the compartments within the garden, enclosed by box hedges and paths. Small and rectangular, it consists of two plots about 5m by 6m or 7m. The northern plot contains two small (modern) brick frames and is used by the Custodian for vegetable production. Mature fruit trees within the enclosure suggest that this has been the kitchen garden area for some time.

Sources:
Cadw 1998: Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales: Conwy, Gwynedd & the Isle of Anglesey, 282-5 (ref: PGW(Gd)14(GWY)).
Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25-inch map, sheet: Caernarvonshire XLIV.10 (1899).
RCAHMW AP965121/66-7.

RCAHMW, 25 May 2022