Much of Flint castle still stands where it was built 1277-84 on the Dee estuary, Edward I's first castle in Wales. By the 1960s, it is sharing the shore with houses and high-rise flats – no match for the ruins in terms of longevity or solidity - and industrial Deeside is visible. Denbigh and Hawarden castles also feature as destinations for Cone family visits, the son wearing a bow-tie to explore the stones of history. By contrast, Bodnant Garden offers a riot of colour.