Mount Usher Gardens, County Wicklow, Ireland - a Robinsonian Garden

[Paddy Tobin]

Mary and I went to visit Mount Usher Gardens on Saturday last, 17th October 2009. This is one of our favourite gardens, very natural in its design, planting and maintenance. Autumn colour will probably be better in a fortnight's time as we noted that Liquidamber had not yet coloured to its best and there is one large tree which overhangs the river and is always a feature at this time of year.

For anybody visiting it is a very accessible garden being on the N11 (or M11 in parts) due south of Dublin, making the journey there very easy indeed. Also (with David in mind) there is an excellent restaurant, so refreshments are available and very good.

Some photographs for you. Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

Continuing

[Paddy Tobin]

Some more: Number 2 somehow hopped out of order in the folder but I'm sure you will forgive me.

[ranunculus]

Beautiful, Paddy ... and then I saw the word; 'Continuing'.  I shall have to shower more praise later.  

[ranunculus]

I think our choice of shots would probably be identical if we were permitted to stroll together Paddy?   

[Paddy Tobin]

Some plant detail now:

First two are limes, I think but am not sure
Acer azikazuki - an absolutely gorgeous tree gloriously decked in its red seeds
Actinidia kolomikta - climbing up and down and through several big trees
Arbutus andrachne - great bark (no bite)

[Paddy Tobin]

Cliff, I know you would adore this garden. It is simply beautiful, a great place for photography as witnessed by the large group from a camera club which was visiting on Saturday. Nice to see them but they did make the restaurant busy. Paddy


Cardiocrinum giganteum - there is always a great display of these when in flower, just seedheads at this time of year.
Correa - sorry, couldn't identify further.
Desfontanea spinosa
Enkianthus campanulatus
Fatsia japonica - some good patches of these growing well in the sheltered garden

[Paddy Tobin]

And finally -

Paddy

Mahonia species - I think.
Myrthus luma 'Glanleam Gold' - an Irish selection of the common myrtle
Pinus montezuma - two absolutely glorious trees.
Stewartia monadelpha - just adore the fact that they get this to flower here, good shelter in the garden. My S. pseudocamellia is a reluctant performer in the garden.

[Maggi Young]

What a pleasure to join Mary and youreself for this visit, Paddy! I can hardly believe that the autumn colour could get any better!! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Maggi, believe it or not, it gets better. Well, I really should say that I particularly like the colour changes on Liquidamber styracifolia. There is one on "Mount Usher 11" - it is on the right hand side of the river in this view. This is one of the smaller specimens but they become fabulous as the purples and burgandies mellow to butter and gold. On the left hand side of this photograph is Nothofagus fusca, a New Zealand beech and it also looks fabulous each autumn.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

I've never been and think I need to.
http://www.mountushergardens.ie/

[Paddy Tobin]

You would certainly enjoy it, Mark.

Can anybody comment on the photograph of the fruit above, labelled as "Mahonia sp." This was purely a guess on my part. The foliage was certainly not like the commonly seen Mahonia x meadia but the fruits were very similar to some mahonia species. Does anybody recognise the plant?

Paddy

[cohan]

holy cow!
fantastic range of colour, and beautifully set off by the water; i bet its wonderful in several different ways through the year..

[Paddy Tobin]

Glad you like it, Cohan. It really is a lovely garden, the river is central to the layout and, as you say, adds greatly to the effect. It is lovely at other times of the year as well; spring, with sheets of bulbs naturalised in the grass, is wonderful.

Paddy

[Onion]

You would certainly enjoy it, Mark.

Can anybody comment on the photograph of the fruit above, labelled as "Mahonia sp." This was purely a guess on my part. The foliage was certainly not like the commonly seen Mahonia x meadia but the fruits were very similar to some mahonia species. Does anybody recognise the plant?

Paddy

Paddy,

do you have a larger photo from the plant. From the fruits I don't think it is a Mahonia sp.
Superb pictures.

Uli