My most recent trip to Powerscourt coincided perfectly with National Tree Day and gave me the perfect opportunity to just focus on the amazing range of trees that the gardens have to boast.
I think when people go to visit gardens, they often don’t look at the trees, that is of course unless they are very showy or look different.
Often it is when splendour of all the flowers in a garden has faded and the trees begin to put on a fiery display of autumn colour that people start to take notice.
In my eyes this is a big mistake, as trees really are the back bone to a garden and add so much to them. Even though when I visit a garden I try to take in the trees as well as the plants, I have been known to swoon that bit more as the trees change from green to shades of red, copper and yellow. I think though when you visit a garden, especially Powerscourt, you should always be aware of the trees around you.
Your experience with trees doesn’t just happen when you walk out the door of the house and step foot on the gravel paths above the Italian garden. It really starts the minute you drive in the gate.
The main avenue leading up to Powerscourt House is such a brilliant example of trees dictating a landscape. You not only get to enjoy the towering trees above you as you drive in, but about half way up the drive way get some spectacular views out across the surrounding countryside and mountains which are dotted with great clusters of trees.
I would highly recommend on your next visit to the garden , once you have parked your car in the car park, to take a half an hour or so and walk down the avenue. I think this is the best way to appreciate the sheer size and grandeur of the trees along the drive. Trust me you will not regret it, and it may even pose the perfect spot to take a photo or two.
Once you get back to the house you will walk past a collection of very interesting trees flanking either side of the house. Irish yews are commonly associated with graveyards and churches as they are believed to ward off evil spirits and also are said to be associated with longevity.
Once you get into the gardens one of the first places I like to visit is the dolphin pond as there are some great trees here to just marvel at their sheer size.
One of the trees that I particularly like here is the English walnut, Juglans regia. I love the large glossy leaves of it and its rather rough bark.
Another great tree in this area is just a short walk from the pond, down towards the rhododendron walk. Acacia baileyana, is just a fantastic tree! Its leaves are almost like the leaves on ferns and when the light shines through them they cast a brilliant pattern on the ground.
While there really is a countless amount of tress that I could talk about around the entire garden, I don’t think any of them can really rival the sheer firework display of foliage that is taking place in the Japanese Garden.
The trees and even some of the shrubs in the Japanese garden at this time of year look amazing. Everywhere you look there is a tree that looks like it has just erupted in to flames.
I would highly recommend a trip to visit the gardens at Powerscourt to experience the great display that is currently going on high above your head. And make sure to climb to the top of the Pepperpot Tower to get a great aerial view of all the trees around you and to feel like a giant for a few minutes.
My Name is David Corscadden and I have just finished my degree in horticulture from UCD. I have a keen interest in wildlife friendly gardens or as I like to call them “Wild Gardens”. I have in the last year taken a u-turn in what I thought I would do after college. I have moved more in to the literature side of horticulture and plan to do a masters in journalism next year.
Source: Beyond The Wild Garden – A Stroll Through the Trees at Powerscourt – David Corscadden
