Garden Visit: At Home with June Blake in Ireland's County Wicklow - Gardenista
Irish plantswoman June Blake used to be a jeweler, so it’s perhaps no surprise that her garden, in the words of garden writer Fionnuala Fallon, “is startling in its beauty like the spilt contents of a jewelry box.” Blake who lives in an Victorian steward s cottage on the outskirts of Blessington in County Wicklow about 15 miles... ...from Dublin operates a rare plants nursery and experiments in her own garden beds to test color theory and unusual combinations Since 2000, Blake has been working on the garden, creating its winding paths, a woodland grove, colorful perennial beds, and a peaceful reflecting pool. A garden bed is a riot of color with perennials such as lilies in bloom in summer. June Blake’s garden in late morning. The view from the garden to the Cow House. Alliums surround a garden bench in early summer. Architect Michael Kelly oversaw a three year renovation of Blake s property creating two new courtyards The polished... ...concrete floor was made by mixing local Wicklow cement with the same gravel Blake uses on her garden paths The garden in late summer.