The History of Glenveagh Castle Gardens
Perhaps nowhere in Ireland is there such a remarkable contrast to be seen between the Garden as a work of art and the exposed and rugged natural landscape than at Glenveagh. The Gardens surround the Castle covering an area of 32 acres (13 ha.) that contain a rich and varied plant collection. There are of over 1200 different plant species and varieties throughout, representative of the temperate flora of many parts of the world. Glenveagh is perhaps best known for its Rhododendrons and tender exotic species from the Mediterranean, Asia especially the Himalayan region, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and South America especially Chile.
The site of the Castle had been chosen for its commanding view of Lough Veagh and early photographs show the Castle dominating the Glen. Later, after additions had been made to the Castle in 1888, Mrs Adair decided that the lands around the Castle should be landscaped into gardens. An enclosing fence was erected protecting the Garden area from the newly introduced deer and shelter belts of Scots Pine and Rhododendron ponticum were planted. Two major landscape works were carried out at this time creating the Pleasure Grounds and the Kitchen Garden.
The two-acre (1 ha.) lawn was laid out by draining and levelling an area of bog north-east of the Castle. Great quantities of top-soil were imported to set a lawn. This came to be known as the Pleasure Grounds where borders were planted with flowering trees and shrubs. Plants that survive from the original planting include the tree rhododendrons – Rh. falconeri and Rh. arboreum, Purple Japanese Maple, Japanese Cedar, Chusan Palms, Cordyline, Griselinia, Chilean Lantern tree and of course the very invasive Rhododendron ponticum! Photographs in Mrs. Adair’s visitors book show guests enjoying the outdoor environment in a well-established garden by 1902.
At the same time, a Kitchen Garden was established and a gardener’s house built. The format of the Kitchen Garden, with its six plots divided by paths and surrounded by herbaceous borders all date from this period. The Kitchen Garden was later surrounded by walls by Henry McIlhenny in 1959-60. Oral history relates that the site of the Kitchen Garden (now known as the Walled Garden) was originally the quarry site from which the stone for the construction of the Castle was extracted.
The wonderful deep black soil in the Walled Garden plots has been carefully nurtured and cultivated by generations of gardeners. A tradition of soil husbandry evolved in the early days of the garden and continues to this day. Each autumn when the vegetable crops are harvested, the soil is manured, trenched and made into ridges two feet high (60 cm). This practice, which would seem to be unique to Glenveagh, is ideal for a garden where rainfall is high and the growing season short. In the spring, when the season for planting-out new crops has arrived (mid-March to mid-May) these ridges are levelled – the free draining soil having already been warmed by the sun is ready for immediate planting.
In the short time that the Kingsley Porters owned Glenveagh, (1929-1934) Lucy Kingsley Porter took an interest in the garden. Perhaps her most important contribution was of some dahlia seed which she gave to Matt Armour (then a young gardener). From this seed he raised the unique single red dahlia, which today bears his name, Dahlia ‘Matt Armour’. This is still in cultivation in the Walled Garden and is unique to Glenveagh
Mr McIlhenny had a small staff taking care of Glenveagh during the years of the Second World War. His head gardener, Matt Armour and Jim Gamble on hearing of Henry McIlhenny’s return in 1947, hand dug the two acre lawn and re-seeded it so that it would be in a presentable state on their master’s return.
In the late 1940’s the very fine Victorian framework of the Gardens created between 1890-1900 was still very much so intact. Their transformation, into one of Ireland's foremost gardens, imaginatively designed and supporting a rich variety of rare and tender plants, was the work of Henry McIlhenny, who personally supervised their development from 1947 until 1983. In 1947, the Gardens presented a daunting challenge, with Rhododendron ponticum and bamboo run wild, though some exceptional plants of earlier plantings remained. The Belgian Walk, had also survived. Mr. McIlhenny began collecting plants from all over the world. To begin with, many new and unusual plants were bought from the Leitrim Estate at Mulroy in North Donegal. Lady Ann Leitrim a well known plantswoman also helped her friend Mc Illhenny with advice on the development of the Garden. His knowledge of plants and sense of artistry were later to be augmented by expert landscaping advice, firstly from James Russell and then from Lanning Roper.
A renowned English nurseryman, James Russell came to work in Glenveagh in 1953. Russell advised on the expansion of Cornelia Adair's rhododendron collection. His two-themed approach was to plant large-leaved rhododendrons for their noble form, leaf colour and texture and scented rhododendrons for their especially sweet fragrance. The latter are often tender, but the milder microclimate of the Gardens has suited Rhododendron 'Polar Bear', R. ciliatum, R. lindleyi and others.
Lanning Roper was born in New Jersey and studied in Harvard with Henry McIlhenny before settling in England. Regarded as one of the outstanding garden designers of his time, he worked, in Glenveagh, Trinity College, Castlecoole and Marble Hill amongst other Irish gardens. The plans of Russell and Roper were implemented by Glenveagh estate staff, particularly Matt Armour who had came to Glenveagh in 1930 and served as head gardener throughout the McIlhenny years.
The creation of the formal elements in the Gardens followed, the Tuscan Garden (below the Castle) was completed in 1958, the walls around the Kitchen Garden were built in the late 1950’s, a neo-Gothic conservatory to designs by Philippe Julian, a French cultural historian was built in 1957. The walls of the Rose and View Garden and their Summer Houses were built at the same time. The Flag Yard (adjacent to today’s Tea -rooms), was laid out in 1965. The Italian Terrace on the Belgian Walk above the Pleasure Grounds followed in 1966. In 1967 Russell made creative use of a rocky gully carpeted with moss and fern under a canopy of oak, which descends the hillside behind the castle. A scenic stone path up the gully was completed and along one flank a steep flight of 67 stone steps was constructed leading to a high, grassy viewpoint which overlooks the Castle and the Gardens in their lakeside setting.
Mr. McIlhenny replanted the Belgian Walk, the Twelve Step Path and the View Garden. Along the lakeshore to the south of the castle, he created the Swiss Walk leading to the Tuscan Garden. He enhanced the exotic nature of the Pleasure Grounds by adding to its tree ferns, palms and rhododendrons and he provided ground cover with beds of Gunnera, Hosta and lilies, the latter being one of his specialties.
By the 1970’s the Castle Gardens had developed into a sophisticated combination of classical and contemporary design, with a rich and varied plant collection. Mr. McIlhenny planted the Gardens for effect rather than to show off individual plants. He gave each section of the Gardens its own character and style and linked them all together with winding paths. With clever planning, the Gardens feature a range of plants that create interest and colour throughout the year. However, he was particularly pleased with his late-flowering plants, including several fine specimens of Hoheria and Eucryphia. At all times of the year, the rugged grandeur of the setting contrasts vividly with the studied luxuriance of the plantings, and this remains the gardens' greatest distinction.
The current garden team of seven gardeners endeavour to conserve the character of the Garden by maintaining the particular range of plants that give the Castle Gardens their unique character. This is achieved with the continued practice of the art of horticulture and skilled craftsmanship passed from one generation to another. Recent additions to the plant collection include new species of Rhododendron from north-west Yunnan, China and a collection of endangered tree and shrub species donated by Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.