The gates could soon be shut for good at the garden

William Wilkins claims those in charge of the cash-strapped project have failed to deliver his dream.

The �42m garden, which opened at Middleton in Carmarthenshire three years ago, could shut in a matter of weeks following months of financial problems.

In October, the 10-acre attraction won a last-minute reprieve after organisers had rejected a �150,000 rescue package from Carmarthenshire County Council.

Visitor numbers exceeded 200,000 in the garden's first year, but have been dropping off ever since, and original project director Mr Wilkins claimed he knows why.

"The visitors aren't coming because the original master plan has not been delivered," he said.

"You can't criticise it for failing to bring in the visitors if you haven't got what was originally envisaged.

The wrong decisions were taken because it hasn't delivered the quality, even if it has consumed the money William Wilkins

"I can see money has been spent on elements that I don't think it should have been spent on.

"It lacks cascades, which should have descended from the south front of the great glasshouse.

"It lacks the restoration of the great 18th century lake - it lacks all the picturesque walks associated with them.

"Quite clearly, the wrong decisions were taken because it hasn't delivered something of the quality, even if it has consumed the money."

Brian Charles, the Deputy Chair of Trustees, said things could have been done differently.

"It takes a long time to grow a garden," he said.

"Had we had the time, it might have been better to have left the garden until it had developed a bit more.

"But we opened because it was a millennium project and it was the millennium."

Visitor numbers exceeded 200,000 in the garden's first year

Mr Charles defended the project, saying it had been built "to time and to budget".

If the garden does close, it could have serious implications for the tourist industry in the area.

Berwyn Jones, manager of Ivy Bush Royal hotel in Carmarthen admitted he was worried about the future of the attraction.

"We have a major refurbishment programme going on now.

"If this garden closes down, it could affect our business quite considerably," he said.

Welsh Culture Minister Alun Pugh definitely ruled out changing the garden's status and giving it the same type of public backing as the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.