VISITORS are flocking to see the spectacular Laburnum Arch at Bodnant Garden which is in full flower.

The arch - which normally flowers late May to early June - surprised everyone at the attraction, which overlooks the Conwy Valley, by flowering early.

The 55 metre-long feature was created by the garden’s Victoria founder Henry Pochin in 1880.

The golden display draws about 50,000 visitors for the three weeks it is in flower.

Bodnant spokesperson Fran Llewellyn said: "The arch normally flowers late May to early June.

"This year we’ve noticed many plants flowering early - from the daffodils and bluebells, to the more rare things in our plant collection like the Blue Himalayan Poppies, the Handkerchief Tree and the Chilean Firebush - which have bloomed as much as three or four weeks earlier than normal.

"We think this is down to the very mild winter and spring we’ve had nationwide.

North Wales Pioneer:

The spectacular feature; the arch is tended to by two gardeners.

"The arch started flowering over Easter weekend, a full month early, encouraged by the Bank Holiday mini-heatwave. It then stopped and started a couple of times, teasing us all for a couple of weeks, and is now in full flower.”

The arch flowers for about three weeks, changing from green to ‘lemon and lime’ then full gold.

Fran added: "It’s in full flower for around a fortnight when it’s a real sensory experience to walk through; a 55 metre long pergola, drooping with long golden flowers, giving of the most beautiful scent and buzzing with bees.”

The arch is tended by two gardeners who spend a month or more pruning it in winter.

“They painstakingly untie the 64 plants, pruning and retying the branches back to the pergola framework with thousands of reef knots,” Fran said.

"It’s an intricate job done without gloves, and bone-chillingly cold work in a frosty January.

"They then spend around two weeks dead-heading the arch after it’s flowered. It’s a real labour of love but we all really appreciate their hard work when we see the results every May and June.”

Fran revealed that the attraction gets enquiries, about March, about when the arch will be in flower and some people plan their holidays to North Wales around the Laburnum.

She added: "Now with social media, it seems to be getting more popular than ever.

“It’s a breath-taking experience which leaves an imprint on people’s memories and of course, the Laburnum Arch selfie is now a thing!"