Mr. Brian Hayes, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) was at the Battle of the Boyne site today to launch the Boyne Valley Garden Trail and open a permanent exhibition on Walled Gardens.
The Minister said, "I am very pleased to be here today to launch a 'good news story’. The Boyne Valley Garden Trail links 11 of the most stunning garden attractions in these heritage-rich counties and I am proud that my office, the OPW, have worked in partnership with Failte Ireland, Boyne Valley Tourism and the owners of the featured gardens to create this initiative. This trail, accompanied by a new guide, will appeal to garden enthusiasts and nature-lovers alike and visitors can visit our many heritage sites along the way. I am also pleased to officially open a new permanent exhibition here in Oldbridge on Walled Gardens; part of a series of improvements we are making here in the estate."
The Minister concluded his visit by thanking those involved, “This trail would not have been possible without the hard work of all involved; I applaud their enterprise and wish this venture well in the future. I also urge visitors from home and abroad to follow the trail and enjoy the wonderful gardens and heritage on our doorstep."
Note to Editors:
The Boyne Valley Garden Trail links 11 stunning garden attractions in counties Meath and Louth and has been created in a partnership between the OPW, Failte Ireland, Boyne Valley Tourism and the owners of the featured gardens. This new initiative aims to appeal to garden enthusiasts and nature lovers alike; to support the trail a new brochure has been produced, which maps the gardens in the context of their heritage-rich locations.
The Minister also opened a permanent exhibition on Walled Gardens, which will be on view at Oldbridge Estate throughout the season. The exhibition is housed in the newly restored ’Bothy’ or gardeners building and is part of a programme of improvements being carried out by OPW at Oldbridge Estate.
Boyne Valley Garden Trail
The gardens that feature in the Boyne Valley Garden Trail include:
Co Meath:
Oldbridge Estate,
Grove House & Gardens, Kells
Hamwood, Dunboyne
Loughcrew, Oldcastle
Rossnaree, Slane
Sonairte, Laytown
Co Louth:
An Grianán, Termonfeckin
Barmeath, Dunleer
Beaulieu House and Gardens, Drogheda
Killineer, Drogheda
Listoke, Drogheda
Many of these gardens hold events ranging from musical performances (Barmeath), Rare & Exotic Plant Sales (Beaulieu), theatre evenings (Oldbridge), Harvest Festival (An Grianán), and organic courses (Sonairte) and many more events through the season, including those during National Heritage Week in August.
The Boyne Valley Garden Trail is a member of Houses, Castle and Gardens of Ireland and all the members are featured in their brochure and on the Web (www.hcgi.ie) and also on a Boyne Valley Garden Trail Facebook page.
The guide for the trail can be accessed through Facebook or downloaded from www.battleoftheboyne.ie and www.beaulieu.ie.
Exhibition
As part of OPW’s on-going programme of improvements the walled gardens at Oldbridge have reached another milestone with the completion of a new permanent Exhibition in the recently restored ‘Bothy’ (gardeners’ building).
The Exhibition depicts the history and development of the gardens of the Estate together with other notable gardens managed by the OPW, such as the 19th century walled garden at Farmleigh and the Phoenix Park’s Victorian Kitchen Garden. The Exhibition also features other local and regional gardens such as Barmeath, Beaulieu, Killineer and Malahide Demesne.
Significantly, the Exhibition explains the concept behind the development of walled gardens in general and highlights their many practical advantages by providing a ‘micro-climate’. This enabled the growing of a wide variety of all-year-‘round vegetables and flowers and, through associated glasshouses, fruits such as peaches, nectarines and grapes.
The ‘Bothy’ will in future provide a substantial area where visitors can view traditional gardening implements and take part in hands-on demonstrations by experts during OPW’s Garden Events Programme. This Programme includes advice on Spring and Summer window box planting; guided walks by the ‘Victorian Gardener’; herbaceous border workshops; floral art sessions; a Winter garden plant workshop during ‘Positive Ageing Week’ in October; and seasonal floral art displays near Christmas. See www.battleoftheboyne.ie for further details.