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| IRISH GARDENS TOUR - HOUSES AND GARDENS OF IRELAND A Limited Edition Tour May 23- 31, 2008 SMALL GROUP GARDEN TOUR - LIMITED TO 15 PERSONS  9 Day Deluxe Escorted Tour with Private Visits to Stately
Homes and Gardens. See Irish architecture at its finest; visit some of the most
beautiful gardens in the world. We have a special opportunity to view private
gardens which open exclusively for this event and garden lovers can converse
with the owners who delight in sharing their expertise.Friday - DEPART FROM HOME Your vacation begins the moment you board your flight. Destination: IRELAND. Saturday - GEORGIAN DUBLIN Dublin's fair city greets you upon arrival to the Emerald Isle. The day is free to relax and explore Dublin's parks and Georgian squares. Its brick row houses are famous for their glass laced doors. Afternoon visit to a Helen Dillon's city garden. Helen Dillon is a world-renowned plantswoman, writer, lecturer and broadcaster. With her husband Val, she has created a garden that is considered to be one of the gems of the horticultural world. This widely acclaimed garden is a mix of startling design and perfectly grown plants - many of them rare and unusual. The view of the garden from the windows of the elegant drawing room is in the lexicon of most photographed scenes in contemporary gardening. A dominant feature in the garden is a canal set in Irish limestone, bordered on each side by superb borders - one mainly in red and the other in shades of dreamy blue. Behind the borders pathways lead into garden rooms. Change is a feature of this magnificent garden. Evening free to relax. . Sunday - DUBLIN/WICKLOW- THE GARDEN OF IRELAND Welcome to the Wicklow International Gardens Festival, celebrating its 19th year in 2008. The festival offers an extensive choice of more than forty gardens of outstanding natural beauty and diversity, each one distinctive in terms of mood and theme. Offering an unrivalled variety of gardens, with unique flowers and plants due to its temperate climate, Wicklow is aptly known as "The Garden of Ireland". The hills and valleys yield quaint villages, classical mansions and beautiful gardens. The Festival allows visitors a special opportunity to view private gardens which open exclusively for this event and garden lovers can converse with the owners who delight in sharing their expertise. The festival also offers a great opportunity to visit some of Ireland’s finest Historic Houses and Gardens, including Killruddery House and Gardens, Powerscourt House and Gardens, and a private garden. Private gardens open at different times during the Festival.  Monday - DUBLIN PRIVATE
GARDENS Your tour of Dublin takes you to Trinity College to see the
illuminated "Book of Kells" and to visit two private gardens:
Knockrose is situated 500 feet above sea level nestling on the shoulder
of The Scalp, a geological feature formed by the melting waters of a glacier.
Tom and Trish Farrell are the owners and custodians of this beautifully
cultivated unique garden, which is backed by an old mixed forest. Attached to a
traditional farmhouse and buildings, it has been evolving over the last seventy
years. The garden is packed with cottage garden plants, shrubs and trees
interspersed with areas of lawn, a vegetable plot and secluded seating. Late
May sees the scented deciduous azaleas in bloom and late June/early July is
heavenly perfumed by roses and philadelphus. Old granite mushrooms, stepping
stones and standing stones along with a variety of sculptures feature
throughout.Carmel Duignan, a gardening writer and former television producer, has created a beautiful garden in the mild, maritime climate of south-east County Dublin. A self-confessed plantaholic, she has amassed an extraordinary collection of plants - from old, familiar favourites to plants that are on the cutting edge of tenderness, rarity and current fashion. Old and new have been plated together with flair and artistry and the resulting combinations of colour, shape and texture produce pleasing and innovative compositions throughout the garden. Of particular interest are the small-flowered clematis and a good range of Pseudopanax. The evening is free to enjoy this bustling city and friendly people -- maybe you'll want to visit one of Dublin's famous singing pubs! (B) Tuesday - KILKENNY/LISMORE GARDENS/WATERFORD - HORSES & THE CRYSTAL CITY The relaxed pace of Ireland, the land of bogs and turf fires, rich farmlands and scenic countryside awaits you as you travel through the Curragh, the horse breeding center of Ireland. Stop in Kilkenny for a pub lunch. Kilkenny, with its cobbled streets, is one of the finest examples of an Irish medieval town. Lismore Castle is the Irish home of the Duke of Devonshire, and its gardens are set in seven acres within the 17th century outer defensive walls. The gardens are believed to be the oldest in Ireland retaining much of their original Jacobean form.Visit the great port city of Waterford, made famous by Waterford Crystal at whose Visitor Centre the blowers, cutters and engravers are happy to display their unique skills. (B,L,D) Wednesday - BLARNEY/KILLARNEY Visit Blarney, with a chance to kiss "The Stone". The Rock Close in the grounds of the castle, and its surroundings, is a curious place of ancient trees and far more ancient stones, by legend a garden of druidic origin and a centre of worship in pre-christian days. The place has an aura of magic and mystique with Wishing Steps, Witch’s Kitchen, Druids’ Cave and many other delights, telling a story of centuries past. Travel through landscapes of the rarest green, where herds of black and white cows peek from every hill on the way to Killarney. (B) .jpg) Thursday - WEST CORK EXCURSION- STATELY
HOME An incredible day awaits! Explore the lovely coastal area of West Cork, dotted with quaint villages, renowned these days for fine restaurants, gourmet speciality dairy products and distinctive local crafts.Visit Bantry House and Gardens, one of the finest stately homes in Ireland. The home of Mr and Mrs Egerton Shelswell-White has a collection of tapestries, furniture and art treasures which were mainly collected by the Earl during his travels through Europe in the 1800's. The Gardens are home to sub tropical plants and shrubs - reflecting the best in European design and style. Features with the 45 acre grounds are the Hundred Steps, the Italian Garden and the largest Wisteria circle in Ireland. Have your camera ready! A musical pub evening is in store for us tonight, complete with local entertainment. (B,D) .jpg) Friday - ADARE - THATCHED
HOUSES AND ANTIQUESTravel to Adare, a town of thatched cottages. Nearby, visit a private garden. Ballynacourty garden is designed as a series of small gardens all interlinked. One garden has a laburnum walk underplanted with lavender. Throughout the garden there are many varieties of shrub roses. The owner is a well known antique dealer. George deals in a wide range of antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries, including furniture, porcelain, silver, objets d'art, paintings, watercolours and prints. Time allowing, we will visit his shop. (B,D) Saturday - HOMEWARD Airport transfers when you depart Shannon no earlier than 12 noon. After breakfast you depart for Shannon Airport with ample time to duty-free shop before boarding your return flight home. Head homeward with great memories of new found friends.(B)  Irish Gardens Tour of Ireland includes:
Dublin Flower Show and Hillsborough Self Drive Tour Sat May 31-Sat. June 07 $1699 plus tax May and June are the peak times to visit Ireland's gardens. This year, see Irish architecture at its finest; and visit some of the most beautiful gardens in the world at Hillsborough Castle and Dublin's Phoenix Park. Your package includes airfare from New York , 6 nights at charming bed and breakfasts, intriguing manors and castles, and a stay in city center Dublin. We give you a car rental to explore two top Irish garden festivals. Ireland's Garden Festival takes place in the Walled Garden at Hillsborough Castle and Bloom 2008 will be held in the Phoenix Park show gardens. Interested in a pre-tour to the Chelsea Garden Tour? This tour combines with ENGLAND FOR OUR CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW TOUR May 17-24, 2008. HAMPTON COURT GARDEN TOUR WITH VISITS TO TUDOR PALACES, AND COTSWOLDS GARDENSJuly 5-11, 2008 |
Some Garden Show dates for your 2008
calendar.
 Customized
Vacations If you have just six persons in your party, we can operate
this tour exclusively for you in a minibus, with an expert driver/guide.
Smaller Tours: limited to 10-15 persons Questions? Call Lynott Tours at 1 (800) 221-2474 USA &Canada
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