If you were to ask me over, let’s say, the last 15 years in business as Donegan Landscaping the gardens I remember the most and more importantly why. The answer has and always will be those that were built for the nicest people one, I in this case, could ever meet.
Working for the loveliest people in the planet should not be underestimated – we all know the alternate – But it is such an important factor for me, that is welcomed into your home and your garden. It matters how we chat and talk and one might even say get to know know each other. It makes a difference to the end result which is essentially your garden. And dollars aside, when you smile – I know and I am reminded that it is such a wonderful thing that I do as my work [?].
Back to this garden, the video – before images up to 0:59 minutes and the after video following – below explains what it was and what it became that is so much better.
I have always felt that gardens, the better ones are those where the journey to completion and its creating put simply, appears and far more importantly feels effortless. In this gardens making, it was nothing but a real genuine honour and I literally smiled every day of its making.
And though that may sound a little Hugh Grant or some such actor in some pile of pants girlie film [apologies], here’s what I noted the day of its completion which maybe words that better.
Genuinely honoured that I get to do what I do as my ‘work’. Horticulture for me, it was always about the journey, and me and you.
In 2007, the 27 acre estate gardens of Brackenstown House won 2 awards at National competition. The gardens designs, though they were intended to start some 300 years ago had, history states and shows, never been completed, until that is 2007.
The two awards, an Award of Merit for Best Private Garden Landscaping and also for Best Overall Maintenance were awarded to Peter Donegan Landscaping Ltd for works completed and to Peter Donegan as the gardens Designer.
In submitting the garden for award an A3 size bound presentation was submitted showing a history to the landscaping that took place to get the grounds to where and what the judging panel were now looking at and judging. Of note, the grounds had matured by the time judging took place. The photographs shown are all of works nearly (intentionally so) complete.
At the time, technology was not what it is now and I guess the alternate is to leave the ‘gardens’ history sitting in a filing cabinet. It may more importantly prove of benefit to someone else in researching gardens of the 17th and 18th century. Something that I and others only know too well is very difficult to find indepth readings of.
I have tried to keep the presentations layout as best as possible online, similar to that that I submitted at the time. What is not included here are and hundreds upon hundreds of photographs; and my drawings and plant legends. The latter for no apparent reason apart from they are very, very large and I don’t own a scanner of that size. This is but, the presentation.
At the time of designing, [again] the internet was not what it is now. And as the gardens designs were never completed, there logically is very little of note on them. That said to the history of the house I owe much thanks to Finola and Turtle.
You can view more information and phtographs of Brackenstown Gardens taken after the awards. I have also added some images in at the very bottom below, including the kitchen gardens handmade central pavilion (sometimes known as a gazebo), the final piece in the jigsaw outside of the planting and the changing of the sunken gardens pond sculpt, I felt.
Of Brackenstown, the awarding judges noted that:
the work illustrates a consisted commitment to horticultural excellence in a restoration project that requires a keen understanding of the client’s requirements. The herbaceous beds in particular deserve special acclamation for their restrained but inventive interplay between colour and foliage texture.
And of the second award, that the award goes to this project because the judges believe it:
demonstrates a discernible excellence in maintenance.
There are only two things that matter when making any great garden – What the client [I hate that word…] wants and equally as important the end result. In short, whilst I would love, that every garden is a Peter Donegan memorial, the reality of how happier I have made someone because of their new space outside kicks in in two parts: the minute I finish and handover the picture perfect postcard garden. And secondly in the months and years after I am gone.
In the non-cheesiest way of saying, it is a real honour to get to make people smile because of what I do, but that latter happiness factor requires much smart thinking and it is only then that you really notice, horticulturally what you have [I guess] paid for.
That aside, I could not have wished for nicer people to create this garden for and that very simply makes my work and this northside Dublin garden just that extra little bit sweeter.
The first: When you go to a place in Ireland like Inis Mór. Nothing wrong with it at all, but it’s not really a Dublin City Centre with too much to do type spot, if you get me. And though you come away knowing you it is the place where fairy tales are made, in reality we and you both know you saw very little outside of Joe Watty’s pub and your accommodation. In short, it is the people that make the island so fantastically beautiful.
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