writing in 1862, benjamin clarje considered the park to exhibit "perhaps a richer display of varied landscape than any spot of similar size in the kingdom". he notes that the surface in the upper area of the park is "diversified by gentle undulations and has been planted with great judgment and taste" and that the river towy flows in the vicinity. the wildlife trust west wales acquired the nearby woodland in 1979. the bbc's peter crawford wrote of it in his book, "the living isles": "the woodland is primarily oak and wych elm," he writes. "the shrubs and ground cover are outstanding with cherry, holly, spindle, dog violet and the parasitic toothwort. lichen communities are of importance and include the rare lungwort. overlooked by the romantic castle of dinefwr the fine old parkland has a herd of fallow deer. the mature trees attract woodpecker, redstarts and pied flycatchers. in winter, the water meadows draw large numbers of ducks".