Gardens of Antrim & Down

Date: Monday 20th July - Thursday 2nd August, 2012

Cost: €460 per person sharing

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND

Itinerary:

We return again to Northern Ireland for a tour, this year, concentrating on the wonderful gardens, both public and private in counties Down and Antrim.

We include, of course, one of the gems of Ireland's gardens – Mount Stewart, one of the most unique and unusual gardens. The garden reflects a rich tapestry of design and great planting artistry that was the hallmark of Edith, Lady Londonderry. The mild climate of Strangford Lough allows astonishing levels of planting experimentation. It is now under the auspices of the National Trust. We are also delighted to include many private gardens in both of these counties.

This tour is by coach, direct from Dublin, so will delight those gardeners who wish to avoid the airport!

We are based in The Dunadry Hotel in Co. Antrim for this tour, formerly this historic building housed paper and linen mills.

Monday 30 July
Meet Iain MacDonald in Dublin at 09.30 am at The Gresham Hotel in O'Connell Street where we board our private coach and head directly to Hillsborough in Co. Down where our first visit is to Old Barrack House, a secret garden to the rear of a listed Georgian terrace house, has evolved in a curvaceous traditional style with old stone wall boundary of government house; an oasis of calm with views over a stone wall to the lake. We then have free time for lunch as a group in The Plough Inn in Hillsborough before visiting Maurice and Joy Parkinson's Ballyrobert Garden & Nursery for a guided tour of their delightful garden. We then transfer to our hotel, The Dunadry Hotel where we will dine together each evening as a group.

Tuesday 31 July
This morning we visit Glenarm Castle where the Walled Garden situated in the grounds of is one of Ireland's oldest walled gardens dating from the 18th century. Originally created to supply the Castle with its fruit and vegetables, The Walled Garden is now filled with exciting flowers and specimen plants to interest the keenest horticulturalist. Free time for lunch there before we take the scenic coastal drive to visit the Giant's Causeway.

Wednesday 1 August
Today we visit three private gardens, all varying and different in both design features and planting schemes but full of interest for every gardener; Dorothy Brown's exquisite alpine and perennial garden, Robert & Sylvia Gault's meticulous floral display garden and finally Margaret Glynn's garden with its abundance of specialist plants.

Thursday 2 August
Check out of hotel and we go to Mount Stewart, one of Ireland's most renowned and wonderful gardens. Guided tour of the house followed by free time for lunch before a guided tour of the gardens. We return to Dublin early evening.

GUIDES: Iain MacDonald, a qualified and experienced gardener and guide, escorts this tour; he will be available at all times to help and advise you.

HOTEL: We are based at The Dunadry Hotel

Further details from: Frances MacDonald (tours@thebaygarden.com)

Cost includes ...

• private coach transfers
• all gardens entrance and guide fees
• bed and bed, and dinners in hotel
• lunch on the first day

COST: €460.00 per person sharing

Single Supplement: €90.00

Deposit: €200.00 – Cheque or bank draft payable to Bay Garden Tours.

All of our tours have a final booking date but as our numbers are limited, they tend to book out before those dates (particularly single rooms) so we would recommend early booking.

Itinerary subject to change