Visit to Mount Congreve Gardens, Waterford, Ireland

[Maggi Young]

Freudian slip ?

Nah, its like the hum of incest coming from the bushes in summer .......the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd.....

[Paddy Tobin]

Nah, it was a Freudian whip, Andrew.

Well, Maggi, did you like that Rhododendron 'Ever Red'? Would R. 'Molted Gold' be to your taste?

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

I'm not sure about the Ever Reds, Paddy..... 
 I have a definite opinion on the Molten Gold, though

[Paddy Tobin]

No, Maggi, the Ever Reds are lovely in flower, a very good red which goes perfectly with the foliage. Paddy

[Maggi Young]

I believe the Ever Reds were developed as an improvement to R. 'Elizabeth Lockhart', which has red foliage but doesn't hold that colour well in all situations.......In spite of having visited Professor Lockhart's garden on various occasions and knowing the family who now have the property, I cannot say I was ever that taken with it, though it is nice to have a well known plant with a local connection. It may be that life across in Ireland suits them better and so they are more appealing..... perhaps I need to come and visit!

[Paul T]

So you don't like variegated Rhodos and Azaleas then Maggi?

[Lesley Cox]

Great shots Paddy and many thanks for them and the tour around this wonderful garden. We here in the southern half are very fortunate that the Forum has so many garden visitors, like Tom, David and now Paddy, as well as the Europeans, to show us great gardens that otherwise we may never have a chance to see. These garden tours are always so very welcome in my household.

[Maggi Young]

So you don't like variegated Rhodos and Azaleas then Maggi

No, Paul, I'm not keen! Funnily enough, on a TV gardening programme later on Friday night after Paddy posted his pix, there was a variegated Rhodo very similar to the one shown above... different cultivar name but equally horrible! Small world, isn't it?

[TC]

A truly wonderful garden, Paddy.  All this thread lacked was smell -o -vision.  The scent of the Magnolias must be heavenly.  If P.&0 and Stena would bring their fares to a reasonable level, I would be there tomorrow.

[Iturraran]

This is a garden I've been wanting to visit for ages!. Hopefully, in the not too distant future...