Des
Kennedy is the host of our Ireland tours ... following is a recap of
his tour and we hope to see you on one of them!
 |
 |
This
August I enjoyed the great good fortune of hosting a tour of fine
Irish gardens. I had never been to Ireland before, other than in
imagination, nor had I ever hosted a tour of this sort, so I felt a
thrill of anticipation as our jetliner descended through thick clouds
and landed at wet and windy Dublin airport. Ireland was, we soon
discovered, suffering through the wettest summer ever recorded. And
yet, within hours of our arrival, the thick clouds dispersed and
tentative sunshine bathed old Dublin City. It was as fine an omen as
might be hoped for.
Gradually
our tour group assembled in the lobby of Buswell’s Hotel, a converted
old Georgian townhouse on Molesworth St. in the historic centre of the
city. Whatever the hotel may have lacked in North American-style
opulence it more than compensated for with charm, friendliness and
fine food.
Our
tour group was composed of eleven persons from virtually all corners
of Canada, and a finer gang of avid gardeners you’d be hard pressed to
assemble. Our first order of business was to meet our local guide, one
Pat McColgan, who proved herself throughout the week a person adept at
combining tremendous helpfulness with a wicked wit. Our coach driver,
Dermot, added his own droll counterpoint to Pat’s patter.
The
first morning, after a traditional Irish breakfast, we clambered
aboard Dermot’s coach and were wheeled off for a tour of the city’s
grandest sites. Then it was on to visit Helen Dillon, renowned
plantswoman, author and broadcaster. One of the finest private gardens
in Ireland, the Dillon garden is an inspiration – an almost ½ acre
walled city garden containing an impressive array of exotic plants
brilliantly combined with familiar old favorites. The garden is
handsomely formalized by a long reflecting pool with paved edges that
serves to accentuate the fulsome plantings on either side. Meeting
Helen and her husband Kay and having tea in their lovely Georgian home
completed the experience.
After
a pub lunch we pushed on to visit Anna Nolan’s compact suburban garden
in Cabinteely. Anna grows a marvelous diversity of plants, including a
number of South African species, and specializes in dwarf species,
things like miniature gunnera and dwarf rhododendrons growing in
troughs. Again the experience was enriched by having Anna herself lead
us around the garden, explaining her design ideas and her passion for
certain plants.
Then,
as we did throughout the week, we retired to Buswell’s for dinner,
with the group all eating together and discussing the day’s
discoveries.
The
second morning saw us travel south from Dublin down into beautiful
County Wicklow to tour Mount Usher Gardens, the famous Robinsonian
wild garden planted along the banks of the Vartry River. A particular
highlight here was seeing the eucryphia trees in gorgeous white bloom
– one of many species encountered on the tour that had us muttering
“Sure wish we could grow those back home.” The salmon quiche and apple
tart with cream at the Mount Usher Gardens Tea Room also went down
well.
In
the afternoon we made a short hop over to Bray where we met Rosemary
Brown, an astonishingly active 86-year-old whose gardens at
Craigueconna House cover three lush and lovely acres. Though the rain
was back again, it failed to damped Rosemary’s enthusiasm or our
admiration of her sumptuous mixed borders and her ‘startling jungle’of
shrubs and ferns.
On
Wednesday we went south again, into County Wexford, to view the
inspiring Bay garden created by Frances and Iain MacDonald around a
19th century farmhouse and yard. Over the span of 15 years Iain and
Frances have created an extensive series of garden ‘rooms’ – a classic
cottage garden in front; a serpentine garden of island beds and
borders; a cruciform rose garden blending old and modern roses in
formal box-edged beds; a hot border of brilliant red, orange and gold
plants; a unique funereal border of dark purple and almost black
flowers; a pool garden; and a new garden inspired by European
perennial plantings. Accomplished and knowledgeable, the MacDonalds
were entirely gracious and informative hosts.
Still
in County Wexford, we stopped for lunch at Marlfield House, a
magnificent rural regency mansion which, besides providing a truly
memorable lunch, afforded an opportunity to wander its walled gardens
and woodlands.
Proceeding
from one beauty to the next, we were able to include an unscheduled
stop at magnificent Powerscourt Gardens, one of Ireland’s finest
examples of the grand estates of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy. Nestled
in the Wicklow Mountains, the estate contains numerous features – an
elaborate Italian garden of terraces, grand steps and statuary, a
walled garden containing the longest herbaceous border in Ireland, a
Japanese garden, lakes, fountains and gorgeous woodlands.
And
thus the week continued as we visited Ram House garden, a magical
romantic garden in Coolgreany village, maintained by Mrs. Lolo
Stevens, a diminutive lady of immense charm whose cakes completely
undid the best intentions of our most diet-conscious members. Then on
to Knockcree, a fascinating hillside garden of rare and unusual plants
placed masterfully amid natural rock outcrops by owner Shirley Beatty.
And equally entrancing Knockcree, a Palladian house with hillside
gardens, long banks of lavender and fuchsia, a marvelous potager,
pools, a wild garden and a lovely woodland. The owners, John and
Ruebelle Ross – she’s a noted garden author – gave us the history of
the place and toured us about, pointing out particular features. And,
finally, Lodge Park Walled Garden, an 18th century walled garden in
County Kildare being restored to its former glory by owners Sarah and
John Guinness.
Our
last group activity was a traditional Irish evening at the historic
Abbey Tavern in Howth, a picturesque fishing village just north of
Dublin. Here the food was surprisingly good and the music excellent. I
was contentedly sipping my Irish coffee as the evening was winding
down when I found an arm thrown familiarly around my shoulders and a
somewhat tipsy American matron declaring “Hey, you’re a cute one!” and
requiring that I stand to have my “authentic Irishman” photograph
taken with her by a battery of her camera-wielding cronies.
And
so it was that our tour came to an end. The following morning our
group members bid one another a reluctant farewell and went our
separate ways. It was, to my mind, a truly memorable week and one I
hope we can duplicate in the 2003 version of “Gardens of Ireland” in
which we'll explore some of the finest gardens of Cork, Kerry and
Dublin.
Donna's Note - please be sure to visit our
ICanTravel area
for the upcoming tours!
|