This bank holiday weekend, why not visit the Garden of Re-imagination in Glengarriff, Co Cork, where guests can also stay in a botanically-themed cottage or bell tent …
For me, one of the greatest pleasures of summer is visiting a gorgeous garden to pick up some tips and enjoy the scents of flowers in bloom. A perfect day out would include a peruse of some pretty plants followed by a hot scone and afternoon tea.
Fortunately, in Ireland we have plenty of these idyllic retreats – from Hunter’s Hotel, Co Wicklow to Burtown House and Gardens, Co Kildare, and Ballymaloe House, Co Cork – the list is long and inspiring.
On my to-do list is a visit to the intriguing Garden of Re-imagination in Glengarriff, Co Cork, where forager and upcycler, Kloë Wood Lyndorff, and her partner, RHS-trained horticulturalist, Adam Carveth, (AKA Two Green Shoots), have created a haven at the foot of the Beara peninsula.
What’s remarkable about this garden is that every flower and shrub the duo has planted over the last six years has an edible function. As a result, the Garden of Re-imagination is now home to over 200 varieties of rare and unusual plants.
This summer there are a number of “Edible Experiences” including a new Guided Foraging Trail and Fireside Lunch Feast, an Afternoon Tea Tour, and an immersive Garden Tour and Three Course Lunch Feast, prepared by Kloë and Adam using seasonal botanicals from the garden.
Guests can also stay in the nearby Botanical B&B which looks out towards Bantry Bay, with four botanically-themed rooms to choose from – Fern, Willow, Lichen and Silver Birch.
Guests have their own private entrance, a dining room, living room with tea making facilities, fridge and microwave, a wood burning stove with wood supplied, and use of the surrounding garden for the duration of their stay. The Botanical B&B sleeps up to six people for stays of three to ten nights costing €328 per night including a breakfast feast.
Alternatively, there is a private glamping experience. The bell tent, which sits in a forest clearing at the end of a private track, is furnished with a king-size bed, indoor and outdoor seating, feather cushions, wool blankets, and cosy coir flooring. Guests have their own private bathroom with a walk-in shower, an outside fire pit with wood, a welcome hamper of homemade treats, and a freshly prepared feast each morning of their stay. For stays of between two to five nights, the Botanical Bell Tent costs €169 per night per couple sharing.
To get a taster of what these stays might be like, why not book one of the breakfast tours, which are scheduled each Saturday from June 3 to September 2? This begins with a mini tour of the garden with Adam and is followed by an al fresco breakfast. On the menu are eggs from the free range hens, homemade sourdough, tomato hummus, and a salad of freshly picked leaves and edible flowers with a herbal vinaigrette dressing. Tickets cost €42.50 per person.
To find out more about the tours and garden visit www.twogreenshoots.com.
Photographs by Kate Bean.
