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Swansea and South West Wales is the perfect place to get back to nature and see wildlife in its own habitat.

PLANTASIA, Parc Tawe.

What better way of gearing up for Summer and getting a taste of the great outdoors than visiting Swansea’s very own tropical hothouse!

There’s a host of exotic and unusual plants and animals from around the globe, all in the heart of the City. There really is something for everyone, from bananas, coconuts, giant bamboo and prickly cacti; to iguanas, fish, lizards, snakes, monkeys, insects and lots more.

Downy Duckling Days at WWT National Wetland Centre Wales.
This summer, don’t miss the baby boom at WWT National Wetland Centre Wales. Ducklings, goslings, cygnets and other babies are hatching and can now be seen waddling around the grounds.

From 23 May WWT National Wetland Centre Wales, Llanelli, will be holding special ‘Downy Duckling Days’ tours where visitors can take a special behind the scenes tour of the waterfowl nursery (duckery). Here eggs are incubated and hatched and visitors can see hoards of newly hatched ducklings in different shapes and sizes at different stages from birth to adulthood.

Newly hatched chicks spend their first few weeks here where WWT wardens act as surrogate parents, ensuring they are fed, kept warm and have plenty of water. When they are two months old, they are moved back into the grounds to become part of WWT’s captive breeding programme.

Special duckling events and tours will be taking place daily at WWT National Wetland Centre Wales from 23 - 31 May and every Sunday during June and summer holiday fun begins from the 18 July.

As well as the stars of the show, the centre will be offering a range of other fun activities to keep your very own little ones entertained throughout the holidays. Canoe safaris, bike trails, guided walks, pond dipping and art and craft sessions will be happening throughout the Whitsun and summer holidays.
Visit the web site www.wwt.org.uk/visit/llanelli.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is now in full bloom and makes a great all-round family attraction. The largest and most visited garden in the country has, as its centre-piece, the Lord Foster-designed Great Glasshouse.
Poised in the landscape like a giant raindrop, the 3500sq m structure is a Noah’s Ark for rare and endangered plants from around the world.

It is home to a rich array of flora from Mediterranean climate zones. Under the 785 panes of glass – each one weighing a tonne – you will find plants from California, Chile, The Canaries, Australia and South Africa as well as the Mediterranean Basin.

But there is much more to the Garden than the biggest single-span glasshouse in the world. The Garden lies on land that was once a magnificent Regency water park and many original features have been restored. Many new features have been created and care has been taken that these harmonise with the historic landscape and add a sense of awe.

There is a unique and historic double-walled garden; lakes, ponds and walks; a theatre; licensed restaurant; shop; gallery; bog garden and bee garden; Physicians of Myddfai Exhibition and Apothecaries’ Garden; children’s play area and discovery centre.

For those with more exotic tastes, the Tropical House – which opened in the summer of 2007 – is bursting with palms and pineapples, coconuts and cardamom . . . and scores of orchids.
The Garden is very welcoming. Whatever your age, they have something for you.

PEMBROKESHIRE’S Folly Farm is a great day out whatever the weather. If you're looking for a fun day out for all the family, whatever the weather, then look no further than Folly Farm...with its six fun-filled zones there's something for everyone.

New for 2009 the new 4000 sq ft giraffe house is the home for four giraffe brothers, Ja Ja, Taharqa, Khama and Rafiki who recently arrived at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire .

Folly Farm, celebrated its 20th birthday last year, it now boasts Europe’s largest undercover vintage fairground, an undercover playground, and Folly Farm Zoo, which has more than 200 exotic animals.

The Jolly Barn is home to a huge variety of farmyard friends and their popular bottle feeding shows. Visitors meet a huge variety of friendly farm animals, while at the pet centre; you’ll find many weird and wonderful pets.
With goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, miniature horses, chickens and much more, including many rare breeds and a whole raft of babies each year, visitors get the chance to get up close to their farmyard favourites. There's even a life-size plastic cow you can milk!

There's loads of opportunities to get hands-on by bottlefeeding our kid goats and during the Pet Handling sessions in the nearby Pets' Centre which is home to rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, chipmunks, tortoises, mice, rats, parrots and lots, lots more.

For the more adventurous, at the Big Dig, you can learn how to test your construction skills with a one-and-a- half ton mini- digger.

Colby Woodland Garden, Amroth – Colby is a beautiful 8 acre woodland garden set in a tranquil and secluded with year round interest. It has one of the best collections of rhododendrons and azaleas in Wales, and has a fine display of magnolias, azaleas and camellias, underplanted with bluebells. Later highlights are the summer hydrangeas and autumn foliage.
The open and wooded pathways that lead through the valley offer lovely walks. A themed sculpture trail is always a hit with kids... and don’t forget to stop off at the tea room for a delicious slice of home baked chocolate cake before going home!

A trip to, or around, one of Pembrokeshire's wildlife islands is high on the priority list for most visitors - they can choose from Skomer, Skokholm, Grassholm or Ramsey Island. The seas surrounding the islands are the natural habitat for porpoise, dolphin and the occasional basking shark while grey seals can be seen swimming at the base of the rugged cliffs.