Carlow Snowdrop Festival extended

The gardens will be open with free admission from 9am to 4.30pm for general viewing, with guided tours taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Photo: Carlow Tourism.

Snowdrop celebrations at Altamount will be extended to the full month of February instead of the normal one week of celebrations.

Horticulture

21 November 2018

The Office of Public Works in association with the Carlow Garden Trail and Carlow Tourism has announce an extension to snowdrop celebrations in Altamont Gardens in 2019, to cover the full month of February.

This move is in response to the great success of the initiative over recent years and gives visitors the opportunity to view the extensive collection of snowdrops over the entire month and beyond the traditional one week period, which was in place heretofore.

This is a great opportunity to view this unique collection, first started by Corona North, and now amongst the largest in Ireland, with over 100 named varieties.

Corona North Commemoration

To commemorate 20 years since the passing of Corona North, former owner of Altamont Gardens and highly regarded plants person, an evening of talks will be held on February 1, 2019 in Ballykealy Manor Hotel. The evening will feature talks by Paul Cutler head gardener at Altamont Gardens and Assumpta Broomfield, renowned and much admired Irish gardener and galantophile.

The Gardens

The gardens will be open with free admission from 9am to 4.30pm for general viewing. The Old Yard Café at the Walled Garden is also open for hot drinks and homemade cakes throughout the month.

Guided tours of the extensive collection in the main gardens will be facilitated by Cutler, head gardener each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout February at 2pm. The tour is priced at €3 per person and Cutler is deeply knowledgeable on all matters snowdrop related.

Robert Miller of Altamont Plant Sales will lead a tour around the Walled Garden at Altamont and Altamont Plant Sales each Saturday at 2pm – admission is free.

Snowdrop Gala

The annual snowdrop gala organised by Miller and Hester Forde of Coosheen Gardens takes place on Saturday, February 2, at Ballykealy Manor Hotel near Altamont.

This event showcases the best in snowdrops and other early flowering spring plants with talks by prominent experts in horticulture and gives the gardening world the opportunity to come out of winter hibernation.

Speakers this year include Ian Christie from Christies Nursery in Scotland and Ian Young, well known plants man and lecturer, also from Scotland. Interesting, informative talks from both are guaranteed.

Following lunch, the afternoon programme includes a guided tour of Altamont Gardens by Cutler, while snowdrops and other spring plants from Avon Bulbs, Christies Specialist Nursery, Ashwood , Harvingtons, and Coosheen Plants are available from Altamont Plant Sales. Pre-booking for the Snowdrop Gala is essential at sales@altamontplants.com or hesterforde@gmail.com. All imagery courtesy of Carlow Tourism.

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