Eire, Powerscourt Gardens

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The classic view of Powerscourt looking down the immense staircase and across the gardens to the Wicklow mountains beyond.

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There are wide lawns and formal gardens at the foot of the first part of the great staircase.

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Formal rose gardens are set into the lawns on either side of the grand path.

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The roses in these gardens were all either red or yellow.

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Down another great set of steps, the large water lily covered pool is viewed through the symbols of Powerscourt, two winged horses.

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The shell of the grand house of Powerscourt as seen from the far side of the pool.

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Looking down into the ‘Japanese Garden’. It has some features of Japanese garden design but is very much a European garden.

A small rill and several small waterfalls are a feature of the “Japanese Garden’.

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Another view looking down into this garden showing the Japanese style additions.. The view changes dramatically depending on whether you are down inside the garden or up on the edge.

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Light and shade on the trunks of a grove of trees in another section of the garden – reached after a long climb up a hill in the park.

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The long perennial borders in the walled gardens.

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Evening or English Primrose makes a splash of colour in a predominantly green border. This may be seen as a common plant but the delicacy of its veins are beautiful.

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As in most gardens we have seen, various types of geraniums are used as bed fillers in the long border gardens – each flower delicate and beautiful.

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In amongst the more common plants are specimens like this prickly Eryngium.

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Hydrangea villosa originates in China and is not the common garden Hydrangea. It’s totally deciduous and almost tree-like in form and flowers from late summer into autumn. It can withstand hot, dry conditions but, like us, was not so happy in the wet of this Irish summer!

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This beautiful blue plant was unknown to us – and unlabelled in the garden.

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The previous photo was just of the buds. Following our friend Ross’s clue that this was probably  a species of anaconitum or monkshood or maybe its a delphinium / larkspur.  I checked my photos again and found one with buds open. Together with the leaves shown in the previous photo it may be possible to make a more definite naming.

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The sky – note the BLUE – and trees helped to set off the view of one end of the walled garden with its small pond.

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Back on the house level is a formal garden – the ‘keep off the grass’ variety!

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And on this level is a fairly extensive rose garden growing against a high and sheltering wall. The perfume was heady and at last some roses to really enjoy.

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This rose has an apt Irish name – Whiskey Mac.

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Back to the lawn in front of the house – the views are expansive of park and skies.

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One of the features of this garden is the statuary.

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Another, more classic view, of the gardens and the Wicklow mountains from the front of the house.

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One of the less famous statues in Powerscourt gardens – a smaller, reflective style rather than the large brash ones used to make statements throughout this large park style garden.

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And in quiet out of the way corners there is evidence of age and decay – such a huge old garden takes an enormous amount of maintenance.

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A rain storm seen approaching over the cafe wing of the house sent us scurrying to put on our wet weather gear yet again and leave the gardens for a dry area – the plant nursery out near the car park.

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Powerscourt has a fine nursery and garden shop – oh to have been able to take home some of these ready made hanging gardens! We have seen these in so many places throughout Ireland as people take great pride in their villages.

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Choosing what we would buy if we could was fun. I loved this Hydrangea called ‘Bela’.

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A small growing Cockscomb or Celosia called ‘Intenz’ was another favourite.

But no, we could look but not buy – and we will just take home our photos and our memories of a good day visiting this immense garden / park estate at Powerscourt near Dublin in Ireland.

J and A

Eire, Altamont Garden

A garden for taking your time and just wandering, Altamont Garden in County Carlow is still little known. There were few there to enjoy this quiet and relaxing garden with us. It’s a blend of formal and informal gardens located on a 100 acre estate. It deservedly ranks in the top ten of Irish gardens and is often referred to as ‘the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown’. I’m glad we saw it before the busses start to arrive!

Lawns are bisected by sculpted yews sloping down to a large lake surrounded by rare trees, very old trees (some 500 years old), rhododendrons and shrubs. A profusion of roses, old fashioned and modern, lilies and herbaceous plants scent the air. A fascinating walk through the Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen with its canopy of ancient oaks leads to the majestic River Slaney.

Unfortunately for us, the wet weather made it impossible for us to do the river walk – it was closed. This would be yet another wonderful garden to visit in the spring time – anytime it is special. 

The decaying manor house at Altamount adds an air of mystery to these lovely gardens.

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No-one lives here now except for a couple of peacocks.

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The path from the house leads to a formal garden of roses and lillies.

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Many of the roses were rain damaged but some were still pristine.

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The large bloomed ‘Common Primrose’ had seeded itself in many places.

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A wide variety of geraniums are used to great effect in the gardens.

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At the bottom of the garden is an extensive lake covered in water lillies and surrounded by mature trees and bushes.

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Down by the lake we found this baby robin – willing to sit still for its portrait.

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Even more varieties of geranium were used by the path near the lake… this one is spectacular. It’s A’s favourite. Can anyone name this one?

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Beyond the lake is a walk through a small aboretum.

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Some of the trees are very old indeed – up to 500 years old- and huge!

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The forest track arrives eventually at the other end of the lake.

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It was here that we found the only dogwood that we have seen in any of the gardens we have visited so far.

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From there we walked back up to the house across the wide lawns.

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Beyond the house is the walled garden filled with perennials.

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One side off the garden is biased towards red flowering plants, the other towards blue.

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There was one plant that neither of us had ever seen before… Monarda didyma; the herb Bergamot.

Thanks Ross, Donata and Michelle for the name. We’re so pleased to have such learned horticulturists as friends!

Don’t worry – there will to be more plants to be named as we start to write up all the gardens we have seen!

We are both good on colour, texture, shape and beauty of the flowers we photograph – but not so good on names!

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All but one poppy had been wind and rain damaged. This was the survivor!

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The walled garden ends in a small pond and many more geraniums are used.

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Another variety of geranium – all of them beautiful.

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Where the vegetable garden would have been in days gone by there is now a very well stocked nursery selling plants – if only we could have bought some!

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After almost three hours of happy wandering in this lovely garden – it began to rain… and so it was time to go and find somewhere for a very late lunch.

This is but a small sample of the plants and views that we had in this large and well kept garden. It belongs now to the people of Ireland and amazingly entry is free. We’d recommend it to any one living in Ireland or coming to Ireland.

J and A