Countryside of the Emerald Isle: Ardán Flower and Sculpture Garden

Front Garden

While in Dublin, we traveled northeast to Howth Peninsula, which overlooks the Irish Sea. Above the town of Howth is a glorious private garden designed and maintained by Nuala and Conall, who have created the perfect partnership of artist/sculptor and plantswoman. The half-acre garden, sited on a rocky, coastal hillside, has been transformed into a horticultural haven. The front garden (there is no grass) welcomes passersby to view an unusual collection of plants and sculptures.

The landscape is divided into a series of intimate garden rooms, each filled with an eclectic mix of plants that complement each other beautifully. The shade garden was created by planting birch saplings. Once a birch outgrows its space, it is cut to ground level, creating room for other saplings to fill in the area, and the process continues.

Woodland Garden

The herbaceous border is filled with a riot of color, including Castor beans, cannas, Helenium, and Alstomeria 'Indian Summer' with its grayish purple foliage and bicolor orange and peach flowers. As perennials grow, they may be thinned out to allow the eye to see the entire border from front to back. Tall perennials are not relegated to the back of the border but are intermingled throughout. Conall's sculptures further enhance the border and add a spark of excitement.

One of the highlights of the garden for me was the greenhouse--while the glass house was beautiful, what intrigued me was the cement foundation. I noticed a unique design on the foundation and thought, how clever to add a design. Conall then explained that the design was the equation for photosynthesis--a true marriage of science and art!

The garden also includes vegetables, a pond and bog, and a rock garden, all of which are organically maintained by Nuala and Conall. This was one big horticultural hug for me!