June 15, 2019
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The Innovative & The Elegant – Exploring the Gardens of Ireland’s Blue Book

Classic Garden Elegance at Castle Durrow

Castle Durrow is an elegant 18th century castle situated on 50 acres of estate in Durrow, Co. Laois. Originally the family home of the fiitingly named Flower family, the gardens were designed for the family and their guest to enjoy: the stroll through and admire the beautiful flowers; and for picnics and fashion at the time, and included a monkey puzzle tree and a 12ft tall box plant.

Castle Durrow is now a luxury country house hotel and is owned by the Stokes family. The gardens have been lovingly restored and are as wonderful as ever. Acres of lush lawns, colourful borders, green parkland, a meandering river and plentiful orchards surround the house. The manicured gardens are divided into many rooms with different themes and species of plants in each. At the back of the house guests can find the courtyard, filled with hundreds of fragrant David Austin roses; the walled garden, which includes a picturesque orchard filled with fruit trees; as well as a sunken garden with a canal, ornamental pots and statues. 

At the end of a bordered corridor visitors will find the kitchen gardens, where vegetables and herbs are grown, and used by the hotel’s chefs to create wonderful seasonal dishes for guests. Just beyond the kitchen gardens is the recently restored ha-ha – a kind of sunken fence bordered by a wall which was originally designed to provide unobstructed views of the landscape, while keeping unwanted animals out of the more formal gardens.

To read more, get your copy of The Irish Garden Magazine at your local newsagent 

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