A little voyeurism can be useful when planning garden visits, and an under-gardener on Instagram, handy with a camera, is invaluable.
Photography by Lee Behegan.
The Upper Garden at Lismore Castle, in County Waterford, Ireland, last September. Sir Walter Raleigh owned it for a while, followed by the Great Earl of Cork Richard Boyle in 1602.
Summer
One of the Paxton vineries at Lismore. ), played an important part in fashioning Lismore, working closely with the Sixth Duke of Devonshire (its owner), also known as the Bachelor Duke.
A small part of the vast walled garden at Lismore Castle.
A vine-covered pergola in the Upper Garden. It is fortunate for this place that the Bachelor Duke took such a keen interest in the castle and its gardens, being an aesthete of impeccable style and much admired by the late Deborah Devonshire in her book Chatsworth: The House.
The seven-acre garden includes a kitchen garden for growing fruit and vegetables used by the restaurant and family.
Autumn
Ireland has a famously warm climate for subtropical plants. You’d never guess it from Fred, but according to the late Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire, Adele loved to shock her English in-laws, while Charlie’s early demise was hurried along by drink.
Shaggy and neat topiary in the Upper Garden at Lismore Castle.
Charlie’s sister Maud wrote, in a letter quoted in Deborah Devonshire’s excellent book, The Garden at Chatsworth “We never really felt we had a home, as we had far too many.” Every January to March was spent at Lismore.
Evening primroses and seed heads light up against the quasi-feudal, ultra-regal walls.
Photographed by Lismore’s propagator, Vick Ind.
Lee, far right. Next to him, from right to left is garden supervisor Matthew Tull, head gardener Darren Topps and kitchen gardener Mervyn Hobbs.
“The gardens have really changed in the last four years, since Darren Topps was appointed head gardener,” Lee says.
A frosty morning, when miles of topiary and perfect edging makes the most sense.
Winter
“This morning I was mulching the new beds we put in, with enriched compost.”
Spring
Beardless irises in late spring.