About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Fences - or Irish Garden Walls

Earlier this week I took you on a tour of Bantry Bay in County Cork Ireland for Watery Wednesday to visit the fabulous gardens of Ilnacullin on Garinish Island. Also promised more photos of the gardens for Friday Fences. Sl`ainte!

There are all kinds of fences, walls, and gates in Ireland--dry stone walls separating fields, simple stone walls or picket fences around brightly painted thatched cottages, or thrifty wattle(woven sticks) fences around the family vegetable garden. And then there are ornate ironwork fences or stone walls around some of Ireland's most well-known estates, gardens,and castles. At Ilnacullen we saw this impressive stone wall with its massive pediment gate which was designed by landscape architect Harold Peto in the early 1900s:

Once you walked through the garden gate, this is the stunning view, consisting of twin mixed shrub and perennial borders. The garden walls protect these sometimes fragile plants from the rough weather off Bantry Bay:
And here's a closeup of the most beautiful shade of pink hydrangea, one of the many flowering treasures in this border:

For more fences from all over go to Life According to Jan and Jer for a list of players.

17 comments:

Elizabeth Edwards said...

that is just awesome. i live through your photos. you get to see some of the most beautiful gardens & fences. just lovely. (:

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Such beautiful pictures.

I had a friend whose father originated from Bantry in Ireland.

Jan n Jer said...

Oh to behold the beauty of this place...Thanks for sharing Faye!

Kim, USA said...

OMG looks like this is a secret garden of some princess. I so loving it's really beautiful. Thanks for the visit.

Friday Fences

trav4adventures said...

Faye, your home is so different from the desert and the mountains here in southern California. Ahhhh....what beautiful flowers! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Cheryl Ann

Carletta said...

This pleases my Irish heart today. :)
I can so imagine walking between those perennial borders.
Love that last image of the hydrangea which is such a vibrant color. I really like how you've framed the building just barely there in the background. Nice shot! What wonderful memories you must have of your trip.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful series of images, I love those stone walls..

Thanks for leaving a comment on my post, the flowers poking through the fence are a type of geranium..

Linda said...

What a gorgeous gate and entryway! I absolutely love the fences in Ireland - we have made 2 trips there now, and waiting to make another one this year. Thanks for the visit to my blog!

Dianne said...

the garden gate is so beautiful, I love all the stone
and I really love those big fat flowers

Nancy said...

Love the walls and the gorgeous garden. So romantic. Thank you for filling my eyes with beauty.

Ebie said...

Hi Faye, very welcoming entrance, I feel there is beauty behind the walls and gate. I was not wrong.

The blooms are very pretty. And I have not seen that so dark pink hydrangea.

Tatjana Parkacheva said...

Beautiful photos.

Regards and best wishes

Joe Todd said...

Would like to spend some time in that garden even if I was "fenced in" LOL

A Colorful World said...

Gorgeous Fridays Fences! Beautiful gate, and oh what amazing hydrangeas!

Anonymous said...

Absolutely GORGEOUS! I love love love these gardens! I wouldn't be able to maintain such a beautiful place, but some people sure know how to do it!!! =)

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jhon said...

A newfound respect for Conquistadors was discovered after draping myself in Chain Mail. Weighing no less than 40-50 pounds, I had difficulty breathing and moving without distress vinyl fencing