Going green at National Trust Cymru’s Bodnant Garden

As a Grade I listed garden with 80 acres of formal beds, borders, woodland and meadow, National Trust Cymru’s Bodnant Garden in Conwy is already pretty green. But by using renewable energy we’re doing our bit to make the way we operate more efficient and sustainable for the future.

Our biggest green project to date at Bodnant Garden has been solar-powering our tearoom with a national award-winning installation in the car park. The 175 photovoltaic panels (also known as solar panels) laid out on the hillside generate enough electricity to power our Pavilion cafe and two charging points for electric vehicles, plus gardeners’ battery power tools.

The photovoltaic panels also generate power for an air source heat pump in the car park toilet block, providing hot water for hand washing as well as background room heating. The heat pump is highly efficient and works effectively all year round.

In the garden we’ve switched to many battery-operated power tools – they’re lighter and cleaner for our gardeners to use and quieter for visitors, as well as being better for the environment. We’ve even invested in a battery powered robot mower which is programmed to cut the rolling North Garden lawn automatically, freeing up gardeners for the trickier jobs.

Of course, we also recycle all our leaves, wood chippings and plant cuttings to make our own compost, which mulches the beds in spring.

Every penny saved by using renewable energy goes back into conservation and our work at Bodnant Garden supports National Trust Cymru’s ambition to become carbon net zero by 2030.

We’re proud to be championing greener energy solutions at our places in Wales, with over 80% of our energy needs now sourced from renewables, including biomass, heat pumps, hydro and photovoltaic. Over 100 renewable systems have been installed at our sites to reduce the impact we have on the environment, along with 36 electric vehicle charging points.

As Europe’s biggest conservation charity, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to fight climate change, which poses the biggest threat to the places, nature and collections we care for.

We’re proud to be harnessing the power of nature and making a difference at our special places across Wales.

Find out more about the Trust’s renewable energy projects in Wales: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/energy-in-wales