Co. Laois ABBEYLEIX

Morrissey's Abbeyleix

Preston House

AA ABBEYLEIX

Heywood Gardens

Representing two chapters of garden history, Ballinakill is an 18th century landscaped estate laid out in the romantic manner, with a rare gem - an architectural garden designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) - at its heart. Created in 1906 for the Poe family, it is one of the few Lutyens gardens in Ireland (the other three are the War Memorial Garden, Islandbridge, The People’s Garden Parnell Square and a private garden on Lambay island).

It has similar elements to Hestercombe Gardens, the best known of the gardens created by Lutyens, and is a beautiful exercise in structure with a sunken pool garden as the central feature. Here a romantic loggia overlooks the lily pond and fountain with circular terraces of planting originally planned by the other half of one of the greatest gardening partnerships ever, Gertrude Jekyll (18431932).

The whole is surrounded by a walk with ox eye windows, looking out over a panorama of seven counties, and approached by an alley of pleached limes. The other elements of the design are a cloister like terrace overlooking a chain of lakes, and a secret sundial garden hidden away by ramparts of yew.

The earlier garden was commissioned by MF Trench who built the first phase of the now demolished Heywood (unusually named for his mother in law) in1773. These gardens with their Gothic follies, made partly from the ruins of Aghaboe Abbey, have been under restoration by the Board of Works who have been painstakingly unearthing their secrets.

Sandymount House

Bramley's

McEvoys Steak & Wine Bar

Cafe Odhran

Gallic Kitchen @ Bramley, The

G's Gourmet Jams

DP Connolly & Sons

Bramley Abbeyleix