GARDENS
The Gulf Stream brings us a hint of extra warmth in and out of season. The resulting benefits include some of the world’s most beautiful gardens, replete with surprisingly exotic specimens. Horticulturalists – and anyone who delights in a garden – will be delighted by the world famous surroundings of Mount Stewart or Rowallane. And don’t forget, a Chelsea medal winner laid out our own Ballymote gardens.
ROWALLANE
An enchanting garden enclosed within a demesne landscape. The Garden retains natural landscape of surrounding area but has a dazzling variety of rare trees and shrubs from many parts of the world. There are spectacular azaleas, rhododendrons, a notable natural Rock Garden and woods with Primulas, Meconopsis and shade loving plants . The Walled garden includes National Collection of Penstemons. Several areas managed as wildflower meadows
Spring Highlights: Magnificent display of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, bulbs and herbaceous plants.
Summer Highlights: Stunning colour in walled garden (Hypericum, Viburnum, shrub roses);
Primulas, Meconopsis and ferns in Rock Garden Wood; wild flower meadows rich with orchids.
Autumn Highlights: Scarlet and gold tree foliage, many with berries attractive to wild birds
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MOUNT STEWART
A simply ‘must see’ in on the list of gardens of the UK, if not the world! Almost every style of gardening over the last two centuries is represented at Mount Stewart. The great diversity of styles and plants from every continent were ingeniously combined by Lady Edith Londonderry (1879-1959) to produce a garden of outstanding quality & character. To explore the planting around the 5 acre lake of the Mount Stewart garden in summer will always be a botanical thrill. The magnificent series of outdoor ‘rooms’ and vibrant parterres contain many rare plants that thrive in the mild climate of the Ards Peninsula.
TIMPANY NURSERIES AND GARDENS
This is a garden of some 20 acres, much of which has been created in the last 15 years. The older part of the garden, extending to approximately 3 acres has been under continuous development since 1973 when three small fields were acquired and a shelter belt established. The natural divisions still remain and now comprise about an acre of lawn, herbaceous borders and beds, shrubs and rockery, about one and half acres planted as an arboretum, small areas of woodland, and a cottage garden containing many rare and unusual plants.
Spring highlights: Snowdrops, Trilliums, Hellebores, Rock Plants. Erythroniums. Anenome nemorosa
Summer highlights: Orchids. Large collection of hosia, herbaceous border.
Autumn highlights: Good autumn colour.
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SEAFORDE HOUSE
A hornbeam maze at the centre of an eighteenth century walled garden is the focus of interest at Seaforde. Its intricate pattern can easily be observed from above by looking down from a new Moghul Tower. The lawns surrounding the maze are divided and fringed with mixed tree and shrub borders which wonderfully declare Irelands capacity to play host to plants from many parts of the world. In particular watch out for members of the eucryphia family, elegant evergreen shrubs from the southern hemisphere of which Seaforde has the National Collection. There is also a Butterfly House is also on the grounds.
CASTLE WARD
This truly beautiful 332-hectare (820-acre) walled estate with Formal and landscape gardens with specimen shrubs and trees, lakeside and parkland walks with stunning viewpoints.(read more)
Ballymote House, 84 Killough Road, Downpatrick, Co. Down, N.Ireland, BT30 8BJ,
Mobile: +44 (0) 7831 661429, Phone number +44 (0) 28 4461 5500 Email: bandb@ballymotehouse.com