Thursday 4th August

Huntington Castle and Gardens and Altamont Gardens with Éanna Ní Lamhna
 

Tree Trail with Éanna Ní Lamhna at Huntington Castle and Gardens

 
Join Éanna Ní Lamhna as she discovers some superb trees in the grounds of Huntington Castle including hickory, oak, Siberian crab and buckeye chestnut.

Venue: Meet in the courtyard, Huntington Castle, Clonegal, Co. Carlow. Time: 11 a.m.
Admission: Adults €5, children 12 – 18 €3.00, under 12 FREE. Tea rooms will be open for teas, coffees, lunches etc. Tours of Huntington Castle will also be available.

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Gardening for Wildlife workshop at Altamont Gardens

 
Éanna Ní Lamhna provides practical, easy steps to garden for wildlife. Find out which plants attract songbirds, butterflies, frogs and other interesting wildlife. Éanna will also discuss some easy eco-friendly gardening practices that help wildlife and also help to improve soil quality.
 
Venue: Meet at the carpark, Altamont gardens, Tullow, Co. Carlow. Time: 2.30 pm Admission: FREE
 
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Garden and Nature Tour of Altamont Gardens

 
An experience to savour! Walk through the ancient oak woods of the Ice Age Glen to the River Slaney and along its bank and be prepared for a unique insight into the informal and wild side of Altamont Gardens. A flight of 100 granite stone steps lead up from the river and are surrounded by a carpet of ferns. Featuring Éanna Ní Lamhna and Paul Cutler, head gardener at Altamont.

 
Venue: Meet at the carpark, Altamont gardens, Tullow, Co. Carlow. Time: 3.30 pm Admission: FREE

 
Éanna Ní Lamhna is most familiar to people as a panellist on RTE 1's Mooney programme.

Huntington Castle and Gardens, Clonegal, Co. Carlow
t: + 353 () 53 9377552
f: + 353 (0) 539377160
e: genova@eircom.net
w: www.carlowgardentrail.com

These gardens were mainly laid out in the 17th century by the Esmondes who built Huntington Castle in 1625. These include the French limes on the Avenue, the lawns to the side of the house, the fishponds on either side of the centre walk through the wilderness and the majority of Yew trees which comprise the Yew Tree Walk.

Larger plantings have resulted in Huntington possessing a number of champion trees, including four varieties of Hickory, a Cut Leaf Oak, Siberian Crab and Buckeye Chestnut. A lake at the bottom of the wilderness was built for ornamental purposes but next to it is one of the earliest water turbine houses in Ireland, providing Huntington with its own electricity as early as 1888. Both the lake and turbine house are to be restored in the near future. The River Derry flows along the bottom of the wilderness, providing a pleasant setting for woodland walks.

 
“The first thing that strikes you about Huntington, apart from the derelict beauty which hangs over most of the Ascendancy buildings, are the palm trees. Several tall specimens suddenly appear at the end of the long yew tree avenue” – Mal Rogers, Aer Lingus Cara Magazine August 2005.

The River Derry flows along the bottom of the wilderness, providing a pleasant setting for woodland walks.
Facilities: Car park, toilets, restricted access for wheelchairs, guided tours of Huntington Castle.
Directions: In the village of Clonegal – well signposted.
Opening times: June – August inclusive. Open at other times by arrangement.

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Altamont Gardens
Tullow, Co. Carlow
Contact: Pauline Dowling/Paul Cutler
t: + 353 (0) 59 9159444
f: + 353 (0) 59 9159510
e: altamontgardens@opw.ie
w: www.carlowgardentrail.com and www.heritageireland.ie

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Directions to Altamont Gardens:

Exit the M9 at junction 5 for N80. Continue along the N80 (in direction of Wexford) through the village of Ballon and N80/N81 junction. Continue for 2km, turn left at next cross road junction signed Altamont Gardens. Alternatively, visitors travelling directly from Carlow town may follow the N80 Wexford – Rosslare road and continue as above.

Facilities:

Toilets, outdoor picnic tables, large car and coach park, restricted access for wheelchairs.

Widely respected as the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown, Altamont Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres. The estate gains much of its character from the many mature trees, both natives in the avenues and woodland areas, and exotic specimens throughout the gardens including Cedrus deodora, Taxodium, Quercus rubra Aurea and Sequoidendron giganteum.

Lawns bisected by sculpted yews slope down to a lake surrounded by rare trees and rhododendrons and lead in turn to a very different garden featuring exotic shrubs and trees. A fascinating walk through the Arboretum, Bog Garden and Ice Age Glen with its canopy of ancient oaks and huge stone outcrops leads the visitor to the River Slaney.

The original Victorian layout was enhanced by Fielding Leckey Watson and his daughter Corona North, following his purchase of Altamont in 1924. Corona travelled extensively in her search for plants, which continue to flourish throughout the gardens, including Cornus kousa chinensis and Liriodendron tulipifera. When Corona North, who lovingly cared for the gardens for over 50 years died in 1999, the gardens were left to the State at her request. Ongoing restoration and maintenance continues under the careful stewardship of the Office of Public Works.

Altamont is a great experience at any time of year starting in spring with the wonderful snowdrop collection, one of the largest in Ireland and moving on to daffodils and other spring bulbs such as frittalaris and grape hychanth. Rhododendrons, azaleas and later on the rose collection is in full bloom in mid-summer, followed by contrasting autumnal colours and the beautiful silhouettes of the mighty trees in mid-winter.

OPENING TIMES:
01.02.10 – 28.02.10 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 7 days per week, except Friday closes at 3.30 p.m.
01.03.10 – 31.03.10 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 7 days per week, except Friday closes at 3.30 p.m.
01.04.10 – 30.04.10 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. 7 days per week
01.05.10 – 31.08.10 9 a.m. – 7.30 p.m. 7 days per week
01.09.10 – 30.09.10 9 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. 7 days per week
01.10.10 – 31.10.10 9 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. 7 days per week
01.11.10 – 31.01.11 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3.30 p.m. Friday. Closed weekends. Check for Christmas opening times.
 
ADMISSION CHARGES: Free individual admission. Guided tours available for groups by prior appointment – adults €2.00