SOS is sent out to Castlewellan historic gardens

SOS is sent out to Castlewellan historic gardens

2 May 2012

ONE of the most celebrated gardeners in the UK has said the Annesley Gardens in Castlewellan need urgent action to prevent irreversible damage.

Former Belfast man Michael Walker, head gardener at the celebrated Trentham Estate, in England, made his comments after giving a lecture in Castlewellan Castle last week.

The talk was organised by former Castlewellan man Simon Moore, a Suffolk-based garden designer who was shocked at the poor condition of the historic Annesley Gardens when he returned home last year and is currently helping spearhead the drive to transform the gardens as part of the hugely important arboretum at Castlewellan Forest Park.

Mr. Walker said it seems the restoration of the Castlewellan garden is the easy bit as it just needs some funding and good direction.

He said the bigger challenge is to “reawaken the consciousness of the community at local level and right across Northern Ireland.”

He said Castlewellan and the Annesley Gardens are a particularly important place to protect with action required now “before the damage becomes irreversible.”

Mr. Walker said it was clear from all those he spoke to at last week’s event that there is a great deal of interest within Northern Ireland for the plight of the Annesley Gardens, “currently in a very poor state of repair.”

He continued: “Benefiting from the mild climate which is influenced by the Gulf Stream, which eddies around Co. Down, the garden is significant both historically and botanically for its rich collection of trees, some of which I believe have been collected by the great plant collector Hugh Armytage Moore who owned the neighbouring garden at Rowallane.

“The Castlewellan garden also includes the second largest Maze in the world. The ‘peace maze’ is very relevant for Northern Ireland at this important time of progress.

“Despite this and I suspect as a result of the past troubles, the garden has been almost forgotten and this very beautiful and valuable garden has all but disappeared from the country’s consciousness.”

Mr. Walker said he feels the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) support in helping to raise the profile of Castlewellan is very important indeed. He said he was personally delighted last week to be involved with the “RHS Growing for Success Talk” in this regard.

He also emphasised the value that a well written, illustrated article in The RHS Garden would have in helping reaffirm the value of Annesley Gardens’ rich botanical collection.

Mr. Walker added: “Simon Moore has certainly got the ball rolling, but the momentum needs to be sustained. I am sure the RHS could be pivotal in helping to protect this important garden from sliding further into decline in providing one of the well-respected features it is renowned for in the RHS Garden journal.”