Renowned gardener Lorna McMahon will once again open her garden, Ardcarraig, to the public on the last three Sundays in May in aid of the Galway Mental Health Association.
Ardcarraig is a five-acre garden created on a stony hillside four miles from the centre of Galway at Oranswell, Bushypark. It is informal in design and utilises the natural assets of a stream, hazel woodland, bog, and large granite boulders. Here native plants such as bluebells, wood anemones, and hawthorn all thrive alongside exotic plants. Rhododendrons, azaleas, candelabra primulas, and blue poppies from the Himalayas all enjoy the conditions of the west, as do the bamboos, maples, and hostas from Japan.
The garden divides naturally into 17 areas. There are water gardens, Japanese style sections, a herb garden, a sunken Mediterranean garden, and bog and woodland areas. There are also large collections of primulas, hostas, and dwarf conifers.
There will be more than 2,500 plants for sale at the open days, many of which are rare or unusual.
The garden will be open to the public on May 12, May 19, and May 26 from 2pm to 6pm. Admission is €5 and all proceeds will go the Galway Mental Health Association.
