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Gardens of Donegal
Date: Wednesday 28th - Saturday 31st May 2008
Cost: €395 per person sharing
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH GARDEN MAGAZINE
Itinerary:
Wednesday, 28th May
Meet Frances MacDonald in Dublin
at 10.00 am at The Gresham Hotel
in O’Connell Street where we
board our private coach. With
a short stop en route, we travel
to Oakfield Park – winner of the
All Ireland Garden competition
in 2006. These gardens have
been extensively restored since
1996. The original walled garden
is laid out as a formal pleasure garden with ponds, rills and flower
borders. Lawns, seating areas, a Victorian style greenhouse and
shaped yew hedges give the garden
a graceful air.
We are based in the Mount
Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny. Dine
together in the hotel as a group
www.mounterrigal.com
Thursday, 29th May
Today we travel towards the
northern coast of Donegal to Falcarragh to visit Cluain na dTor
Nursery Gardens. A plantsman’s garden specialising in tender and
seaside plants. Surrounded by
natural wildflower meadows and
sheltered by shrubs, this garden
experiments in growing rarities
and tender perennials, which
compliment the contemporary
sculpture. We then visit the world
famous Glenveagh Castle Gardens.
Free time for lunch before our
guided tour. Return to hotel for
dinner together.
Friday, 30th May
A scenic drive through the Bluestack Mountains brings us
to our first garden of the day – Magherabeg House - dating back
to the 19th century; this established garden has been tended by three
generations of the Temple Family.
We visit the nearly Donegal Craft
Village for lunch (at own expense)
and then visit Salthill Garden which
surrounds an early 18th century
house complete with walled garden.
The original kitchen garden has
been transformed into a series of
mixed planting beds. Vegetables are
also grown in the traditional ‘lazy
bed’ west of Ireland style. Return to
hotel for dinner together.
Saturday, 31st May
Check out of hotel and travel to Raphoe to visit a relatively new
garden – Beltany View. A southfacing slope offers broad mixed
borders and spring-fed ponds.
We then return to Dublin, stopping
for refreshments en route, arriving
back early evening.
Frances MacDonald, a
qualified and experienced
gardener and guide, escorts this tour; she will be available at all
times to help and advise you.
Further details from: Frances MacDonald (tours@thebaygarden.com)
| FINAL BOOKING
DATE: 29th February, 2008 |
Cost includes private coach
transfers, gardens entrance
fees and bed & breakfast and
dinner in hotel.
COST: €395.00 per person sharing
Deposit: €150.00 – Payable to 'Bay Garden Tours'.
Itinerary subject to change
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