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