After a comprehensive re-build, this garden is now a romantic hideaway with many different areas and levels - each with a different tone. This garden surrounds a graceful Georgian Villa, and is designed to be in keeping with the architecture and surrounding environment. All the materials are Irish, from the Mayo sandstone paving to the local granite gravel and reclaimed granite setts. It has an orchard where existing fruit trees were revived, deep herbaceous borders, a pond, a woodland area and two lawn areas. The aim was to create a garden that was formal enough to be in keeping with the house but relaxed enough to be used by children, family and pets. Great care was taken to protect mature trees and to maintain the better elements of the existing garden, but a large amount of work was done around the house to allow more light indoors. Planting has an emphasis on perennials and bulbs, changing seasonally. We have stayed involved with this garden as it evolves. Garden construction was by Irish Stone Gardens.
New beds around the house allow light into the ground floor. The beds are full of colour and character, with a sunny, sunken rock garden brimming with lovely plants.
Planting scheme along one border consisting of Stipa 'Pony Tails', Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Agapanthus, Sedum and Verbena bonariensis.
A view from the summer house towards the main house, looking through the branches of the mature fruit trees.
Planting adjacent to the pond includes Chionochloa flavicans - an excellent grass for Irish gardens - and Allium 'Purple Sensation', as well as Dierama, Astelia and many other perennials.
An olive in a pot in a sunny and dry corner of the garden. Surrounded by a circle of Thymus serphyllum (groundcover thyme) as well by lavender, Erigeron karvinskianus and Convolvulus cneorum.
