Pupils transform forgotten plot into garden honouring first Black gardener in Wales

Secondary school pupils from south Wales have transformed a disused plot into a bright garden, dedicated to the memory of John Ystumllyn.

John Ystumllyn, also known as Jac Ddu and Jack Black, is recognised as the first recorded Black gardener in Wales.

Pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, including members of the Eco Council, students from the well-being spaces Hwb and Hafan, and those studying cookery turned the overgrown space into a ‘Kitchen Garden’.

Rose

Brought to the country in the 18th century, likely through the transatlantic slave trade, John Ystumllyn went on to earn the admiration and respect of his local community in North Wales through his kindness, resilience, and remarkable character.

He married a Welsh woman and lived in Ynysgain Fawr, west of Criccieth. A century after his death, he became the subject of a Welsh-language biography by Robert Isaac Jones and, subsequently, a celebrated figure in Welsh history.

Unity, friendship, and hope

At the heart of the garden stands the “John Ystumllyn Rose” – a golden yellow bloom developed by Harkness Roses as a symbol of unity, friendship, and hope.

The rose serves as the centrepiece of the pupils’ garden, representing the values John stood for and the inclusive ethos of the school.