Follow me up to Carlow!

It's a long time since that Planxty song came into my mind but it was what popped up when I came to write of our visit to Altamont Gardens yesterday. Follow the link for a blast from the past! Yes, it was a bright and warm day and we thought Monday would be a quiet …

At Altamont Gardens

The gardeners at Altamont have achieved that almost impossible aim of keeping a garden fresh, vibrant, changing and yet perfectly in tune with the style and ethos of its previous owner. So often we hear the comment of gardens such as this - bequeathed to the state, or in U.K. to the likes of the …

Genius loci

In ancient Rome, a genius loci was the spirit which protected a place, a territorial guardian angel of sorts. Nowadays, it is a phrase used in reference to garden design and was first enunciated by Alexander Pope. He contended that garden or landscape designs must always be adopted to the location for which they are …

Altamont and Hardymount – A Day Out!

The Carlow Garden Festival goes from strength to strength with each year and attracts large attendances for all its events. Some attract big numbers because of their high profile but each event has its attraction and I attended two very enjoyable events, the first at Altamont Gardens in the morning and the second at Hardymount …

A Preview.

Altamont for snowdrops has become an annual visit not to be missed. We usually visit in early February as this is generally when the greatest number of snowdrops are in flower. The snowdrop season can stretch from October until March but the greatest selection is open in February and this has dictated the timing of …

Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem’s Good Bones!

The last days of November would generally not be regarded as good garden-visiting days but there are some advantages. It is a time to see a garden without the distraction of summer colour, without the fullness of summer borders and without too many other visitors also. It is a time to see the bones of …

The Maestros and the Alley Cats!

We attended two outstanding talks yesterday at Altamont Plants, part of the Carlow Garden Festival. I could not exaggerate how much I enjoyed both talks and what a wonderful credit the occasion was to Robert Millar, at Altamont Plants, and to Carlow Tourism who are the leading promoters and organisers of the festival. On this …

My Garden of Grumbles!

Certainly in winter - and winter has continued far too long this year - my first reaction on stepping out of the car at Altamont Garden is to grumble. Now there are some who would say I grumble whenever I visit a garden but this is inaccurate for it implies that I grumble only in …

Snowdrops at Altamont Gardens

Few gardens survive the death of their creator. They will be changed by those who follow them, who will garden in their own way, with their own enthusiasms, likes and dislikes so that the vision of the creator gets gradually fudged and eventually lost. This is a criticism regularly levelled at National Trust properties in …

August Altamont

Altamont Gardens in Co. Carlow have always primarily been a spring garden. Mrs. Corona North and her family before her were especially interested in rhododendrons and grew and planted many which they had propagated from the first plant collectors gatherings. However, today is the last Sunday of August and in the spirit of end of …