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Flowers In A Rainy Place

A Travelogue of Flowers:

Last year, Jason and I visited a beautiful island…Ireland. We spent one week there, bicycling around 150 miles from east to west, across the Emerald Isle. It was rainy and a little chilly (even in June); however, the flowers were spectacular. This is a country that truly loves gardening! We celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with a floral travelog of our trip. Read on and “Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!” (May the road rise to meet you.)

Because we in Georgia have such a long blooming season, we do not often see this combination of blooms: Foxglove and Daisies. Foxglove (Digitalis) usually blooms early in the year here – depending on the weather! By June, it looks sad in the heat.
Our trusty bicycles are shown in the background, surrounded by flowers.
In the central west of Ireland lies the town of Leenane in County Galway. We stayed at the Leenane Hotel where I took this lovely photo of a perennial garden. It is bordered by grass and a gravel path. White Iris is in the foreground of the photo, Campanula – bell flowers on the right, Canna in the distance and Calla lilies. This day was exceptionally dreary. We biked many miles battling the wind and rain and ended up collapsing at this beautiful hotel on the sparkling Killary Fjord.
Flowers were everywhere anyone could plant them. Lining roadways and bridges were pots. Flowers were even on top of old walls announcing the quaint town of Cong in County Mayo, located between Lough Mask to the north and Lough Corrib to the south.
We strolled this pretty walking trail in Cong.
Don’t these look fake?!
Every stone wall should have a hanging basket.
Gorgeous Petunias make this little bridge prettier than one could imagine.
It looks like we had some sunshine in Ballyvaughn, which is on coast of the North Atlantic in County Clare. These are the biggest Peonies I have ever seen!
Coming around another bend in the road, we saw these beauties, Red Valerian (Centranthus). This was on our way to Fanore Beach on the North Atlantic, across the water from the Aran Islands.
We found this beautiful color combination in the churchyard of Corcomroe Abbey. I can’t help it! I love the bright green geranium leaves, pink, red and white Dianthus and blue salvia. And, most touching to me is that at this ancient gravesite, locals planted real flowers instead of plastic.

Our trip to Ireland was a long-time dream come true. The people, the music – the flowers! – were so memorable. The Irish use of stone in construction and in the landscape and the lush plantings where an inspiration and joy to Jason and me. All that we saw and learned is yet another resource on which we can draw when we work on your project. Go raibh maith agat! (Thank you!)

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