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Thursday 24 November 2016

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore, Waterford


On our recent trip to Ireland I was keen to visit a few gardens.  As we were there in October many were closed for the winter but a few were still open.  I have already blogged about Cappoquin Gardens in Lismore and today I give you a very different style of garden: The Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in Tramore, Waterford.

The gardens reflect the life and travels of Patrick Lafcadio Hearn who was born in Ireland but who travelled extensively in America and Greece before finally settling in Japan.  They are split into 10 individually themed gardens where plant structure, rocks and water play more important roles than flowers.  There are however flowers to be seen, including one when we visited, that most certainly should not have been in flower in October, a Japanese Iris.  Irises grow wild in Japan and are also cultivated widely in gardens there.  The Japanese attribute meanings to their flowers and the Iris means Good News.

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
The American Garden



Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
The Greek Garden with amphitheatre

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Japanese bamboo fencing and bonsai tree

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Maple leaves

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Plants, rocks and water

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Fern spores from underside of the fronds

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Japanese Iris meaning Good News

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Hebe

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens with the entrance path shaped like a carp
Tramore is a seaside town and no doubt very busy in summer.   These gardens, on the edge of town, offer a haven of tranquillity and I loved their peacefulness where the winding paths give you time to lose yourself in quiet thoughts and contemplation. 

Practicalities:

Location: Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore, Co. Waterford, Ireland
Tel: 00353 87 0960013
Website: http://lafcadiohearngardens.com/
Gardens open all year - please see website for seasonal times
Entry: €5 per person, U12 free
Guided tours possible for groups of 4 or more adults (ring to arrange)
Wheelchair accessible in gardens 1-6 with wheelchair toilets
Dogs not permitted except guide dogs

Linking up with Annie Spratt and How Does Your Garden Grow.

12 comments:

  1. how wonderful. what a treat to be able to travel to such places and then put those travels back into the garden

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  2. I'm surprised there are still flowers blooming in November. We still have flowers here in Florida, USA but we're a warm state. Lovely garden.

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    1. Ireland is generally fairly frost free and this autumn has been particularly mild ... the iris was very confused though as that should only bloom in spring!

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  3. What beautiful gardens, how lovely to have adventures to inspire a garden

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  4. What a fascinating place, and beautifully calming too I imagine. And fancy living in one of those houses over the road and having this outlook from the upstairs windows, magical :)

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    1. One building is a school and the staff room windows overlooked the gardens. I could cope with that as a teacher!

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  5. I love the meanings behind flowers and I have a friend whose daughter's name is Iris so I must tell her what it means. How unusual to find a Japanese garden in the middle of Ireland.

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  6. How lovely Rosie! Winding paths always have such character and it looks like a really different type of garden, nice to find a garden that favours rocks, water and plant structures over flowers.
    Looks like you have a great time in Ireland Rosie :)

    Thanks for joining in again Rosie xx

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    Replies
    1. It certainly was a lovely garden and so different from Cappoquin which we visited a few days before. Now I want to go back to Ireland to visit more gardens!

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